ECI's Bihar Voter Roll Revision Sparks Political Uproar

The Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, conducted before the forthcoming assembly elections, has sparked intense political backlash, with opposition parties terming it a 'backdoor NRC' and accusing the ruling parties of 'vote theft' while questioning the constitutional body's impartiality.

The INDIA bloc orchestrated a large-scale 'Bihar Bandh' protest in Patna to oppose the electoral roll revision, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi warning of potential electoral manipulation similar to what allegedly occurred in Maharashtra. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav criticized the ECI, accusing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of erasing the names of underprivileged voters.

Despite the uproar, the ECI reported significant progress in its voter roll revision, collecting 57% of enumeration forms within the first half of the scheduled period. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar reiterated the commission's commitment to transparent electoral rolls, emphasizing the role of clean lists in strengthening democratic integrity.

BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad responded to opposition claims by accusing them of political maneuvers involving wrongful voter registrations. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla challenged opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav's accusations, labeling them as efforts to undermine constitutional institutions for political gain.

Prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc, including CPI's D Raja and CPM's Hannan Mollah, have expressed serious concerns about the revision's implications, arguing it could disenfranchise millions and challenge the fundamental democratic principle of universal franchise.

(With inputs from agencies.)