Minister Manjhi Backs Bihar's Voter List Overhaul, Criticizes Opposition

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has voiced strong support for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, slated for upcoming elections. He emphasized the importance of the government's and Election Commission's role in rectifying any discrepancies found in voter lists, lauding the poll panel's efforts.

Manjhi's statement arises amid reports from Election Commission sources indicating Booth Level Officers discovered significant numbers of Nepalese, Bangladeshi, and Myanmar nationals holding Indian identification like Aadhaar and ration cards during door-to-door verifications. He suggested that opposition parties oppose the revision as they benefit from these fake voters.

The minister criticized the opposition for allegedly taking political advantage of non-genuine voters and reaffirmed his stance that only legal residents of Bihar should be entitled to vote. The Election Commission aims to complete the process ahead of schedule, with high form submission rates already reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)