New Delhi: The Congress celebration and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Thursday opposed the Election Fee’s particular intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in poll-bound Bihar, questioning the intent behind the train introduced on 24 June.
Whereas the Congress said that there are sufficient causes to be suspicious of the EC’s plan, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee known as it “harmful” and “alarming for democracy”.
In an announcement, the Congress’s Empowered Motion Group of Leaders and Consultants—shaped by the celebration in February to “monitor the conduct of free and honest elections by the Election Fee of India”—mentioned the proposed revision was a “devious and doubtful concept within the disguise of an answer”.
“Lakhs of Union and state authorities officers will now management and dictate who has appropriate paperwork and who doesn’t, who will get to vote within the upcoming Bihar elections and many others. This carries an enormous danger of willful exclusion of voters utilizing the facility of the state equipment,” said the Congress.
Each the events objected to the documentation course of that individuals must undergo to show their eligibility to vote. In response to the EC’s plan, these born between 1 July, 1987, and a couple of December, 2004, must present paperwork establishing the date of start and/or homeland of father or mom.
These born after 2 December, 2004, must set up the identical for each dad and mom. It won’t be required for these born earlier than 1 July, 1987. The EC cited components akin to speedy urbanisation, frequent migration, inclusion of names of international unlawful immigrants as the explanation behind its transfer.
The Congress mentioned the announcement itself was an “admission” that “all isn’t effectively” with India’s electoral rolls, a difficulty which it has been elevating aggressively since its defeat within the Maharashtra meeting polls. Nonetheless, the treatment devised by the EC was worse than the illness, in keeping with the celebration.
“The EC had mooted a proposal on 8 March, 2025, for electoral roll cleansing utilizing Aadhaar, which whereas not good, is a extra viable various resolution than an SIR in Bihar. Why did the EC abandon that to all of the sudden announce an SIR 3 months after the Aadhaar proposal?
“Given the EC’s dogged resistance to the Congress celebration’s lengthy pending demand for Maharashtra electoral rolls and its doubtful actions up to now, there may be sufficient motive to be suspect about EC’s plans for an SIR in Bihar only a few months earlier than an election. The Congress celebration firmly opposes the SIR,” it mentioned.
Interacting with reporters in Digha in West Bengal, Banerjee mentioned the EC can not undertake such an train with out consulting the recognised state and nationwide events.
She advised that it could possibly be an try and revive plans for the creation of a Nationwide Register of Residents (NRC).
“How will poor folks get paperwork? Are they doing this to determine the NRC? What’s their intention? Please make clear. What is occurring on this nation? You’re concentrating on folks born between 1987 and 2004, which suggests these aged between 21 and 37-38. Will everybody have their dad and mom’ start certificates? These days, folks have start certificates, however that was not the case earlier than,” she mentioned.
“Modiji is the prime minister, I respect the chair. However the ECI is linked to (Dwelling Minister) Amit Shah. He’s operating the nation. However they can not do something. I’m right here to show their plan. That is critical and we now have to counter it. Via the media, I need to make folks alert. I’ll request the opposite Opposition-ruled States to bowl, whereas we now have already began batting,” Banerjee mentioned.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Additionally learn: Kharge’s ‘Modi first’ swipe at Tharoor. Congress MP responds ‘wings are your, sky belongs to nobody’
