Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, currently underway in Bihar, has sparked political tension in Jharkhand. On the opening day of the Monsoon Session of the Jharkhand Assembly, confrontation flared between ruling and opposition parties, with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announcing a protest inside and outside the House on August 4.
Ministers Slam SIR, Call It Discriminatory
Health and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari strongly criticized the SIR process, alleging it is a ploy to remove Muslim, tribal, and Dalit voters from electoral rolls. He claimed the BJP is targeting communities that don’t traditionally support it and vowed that the government would not allow this agenda to succeed. Ansari also stated that a memorandum would be submitted to the Governor.
Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Centre of stifling opposition voices and taking frequent policy U-turns. She referred to Rahul Gandhi’s warnings being vindicated and termed SIR as an attempt to “suppress votes.”
Saryu Roy Supports SIR, Urges Cooperation
In contrast, JD(U) MLA Saryu Roy defended the SIR, calling the criticism unfounded and politically motivated. He emphasized that the Election Commission is an independent body with full authority to conduct voter list revisions. Roy suggested that political parties appoint booth-level agents to monitor the process and use the correction window after the draft list is released.
What Is SIR?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a voter list audit initiated by the Election Commission to remove ineligible names and include new, eligible voters. The process has become contentious in Bihar, where allegations of mass deletions have led to increased political friction.
