Lagatar24 Desk
Patna: The Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s voter lists has uncovered alarming findings, revealing the presence of individuals originally from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar who have managed to secure Indian documents and are listed as voters in the poll-bound state, sources within the poll body said on Sunday.
Foreign Nationals Found with Indian Documents
According to officials, many of these foreign nationals have obtained Indian identity documents such as Aadhaar cards, domicile certificates, and ration cards, allegedly through illegal means. Block Level Officers, who are conducting door-to-door surveys as part of the SIR exercise, have identified numerous such cases.
A detailed verification of these individuals is scheduled between August 1 and August 30. “If the allegations are proved, their names will be deleted from the voter list,” sources said.
Political Row Escalates Ahead of Bihar Polls
The revelation is expected to intensify the heated political debate over the timing and purpose of the voter list revision, which comes just months before the Bihar Assembly elections.
Launched on June 24, the Special Intensive Revision aims to update the state’s electoral rolls by including eligible citizens and eliminating ineligible voters. The last such revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003. The Election Commission has cited factors like urbanisation, migration, the emergence of new young voters, non-reporting of deaths, and the inclusion of foreign nationals as key reasons necessitating this exercise.
Opposition Alleges Conspiracy
However, opposition parties, including the RJD and Congress, have raised concerns about the exercise’s timing and alleged that it is a conspiracy to exclude legitimate voters selectively. The BJP, countering the allegations, questioned why the opposition objects if the exercise aims to weed out fake voters.
Legal Battle Reaches Supreme Court
The controversy has reached the Supreme Court, where multiple petitions have been filed challenging the poll body’s voter list revision. Petitioners include RJD MP Manoj Jha, the Association for Democratic Reforms, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, and former MLA Mujahid Alam.
During the Supreme Court hearing on Thursday, significant questions arose regarding the exercise’s timing and the validity of identity documents. While the Election Commission argued that Aadhaar is not definitive proof of citizenship, the court observed that Aadhaar, ration cards, and the Election Commission’s own identity card should be accepted as valid documents for voter re-verification. The court, however, has not stayed the revision process.
Expressing skepticism, the court said, “Your exercise is not the problem… it is the timing. We have serious doubts if you can manage this exercise. With such a big population (an estimated eight crore people) being subject to this ‘intensive review’, is it possible to link this to the forthcoming election?”
The court further noted the risk of disenfranchisement, stating, “…a person will be disenfranchised ahead of the election and s/he won’t have the time to defend the exclusion before voting.”
The voter list revision remains one of the most contentious issues shaping the political climate in Bihar as the state approaches crucial elections.
