Congress Challenges Election Commission on Bihar SIR Rejection: Allegations of Irregularities Cited in 89 Lakh Complaints

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Election Commission Rejects Congress Claims of Voter List Irregularities in Bihar

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has dismissed approximately 89 lakh complaints of irregularities flagged by the CongressS booth Level Agents (BLAs) during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, according to Pawan Khera, chairman of the Congress’ media and publicity department. Khera alleged that the irregularities raise concerns about the intention of the EC and demanded a re-conduct of the entire exercise.

During a press conference in Patna, Khera claimed that when BLAs attempted to file complaints, they were turned down by the EC, which he said, only accepted complaints from individuals, not political parties.

Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer countered these claims,stating the Congress party submitted letters requesting the deletion of approximately 89 lakh names from Bihar’s voter list. However, the objections raised were not submitted in the prescribed format.

“The District Congress Committee presidents of the indian national Congress have writen letters to the District Election Officers in the last 1-2 days to delete the names of about 89 lakh people from the voter list of bihar…” the Bihar CEO stated in a press release, “However, the objections raised by the Presidents of the District congress Committee of the Congress Party are not in the prescribed form. The District Election Officer is forwarding these objections to the concerned Electoral Registration Officers for appropriate action.”

How might the alleged voter irregularities in Bihar impact the upcoming elections and public trust in the electoral process?

The Core of the Dispute: Bihar SIR and Voter Data

the Indian National Congress (INC) has formally challenged the Election Commission of india (ECI) regarding the rejection of its Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) in Bihar. This challenge centers around a staggering 89 lakh (8.9 million) complaints alleging meaningful irregularities in the voter lists. The Congress party claims these discrepancies could severely impact the fairness and accuracy of upcoming elections in the state. The SIR process, a crucial component of electoral integrity, aims to identify and rectify errors in voter registration, including deceased voters, duplicate entries, and shifted residences.

This dispute highlights ongoing concerns about election integrity in India and the effectiveness of voter list purification processes. The scale of the alleged irregularities in Bihar is notably alarming,prompting calls for a thorough and transparent inquiry.

Breakdown of the 89 Lakh Complaints

The 89 lakh complaints submitted by the Congress party are categorized into several key areas:

Duplicate Voter IDs: A significant portion of the complaints allege the existence of multiple voter IDs registered under the same individual, perhaps enabling fraudulent voting.

Deceased Voters: Reports indicate a substantial number of deceased individuals still listed on the electoral rolls, raising questions about the efficiency of death record integration with voter databases.

Shifted Residences: Complaints detail voters registered at addresses where they no longer reside, potentially leading to issues with constituency depiction and voting eligibility.

Data entry Errors: Numerous complaints cite inaccuracies in voter names, addresses, and other crucial details, hindering voter identification and verification.

Missing Voter Names: Conversely, reports also suggest eligible voters are missing from the electoral rolls, potentially disenfranchising legitimate citizens.

The Congress alleges that the ECI’s rejection of their SIR data, which aimed to address these issues, is a purposeful attempt to suppress legitimate voter corrections and maintain flawed electoral rolls. Voter list purification is a continuous process, and the party argues the ECI’s actions are a setback to this effort.

Congress’s Stance and Demands

The INC has strongly condemned the ECI’s decision, accusing the commission of bias and a lack of transparency. Key demands put forth by the party include:

1. Self-reliant Inquiry: A demand for an independent, judicial inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the Bihar voter lists and the ECI’s handling of the SIR data.
2. Re-evaluation of SIR Data: A call for the ECI to re-evaluate the submitted SIR data and incorporate valid corrections into the electoral rolls.
3. transparency in Voter List Revision: Increased transparency in the voter list revision process,including public access to data and opportunities for citizen verification.
4. Accountability Measures: Implementation of accountability measures to prevent future irregularities and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
5. Special Audit: Requesting a special audit of the Bihar electoral rolls by an independent body to identify and rectify discrepancies.

The party emphasizes that a fair and accurate electoral process is fundamental to India’s democracy and that the ECI has a responsibility to address these concerns promptly and effectively. Election Commission of India‘s response is being closely watched by all political parties.

ECI’s response and Justification

The ECI has defended its decision to reject the Congress’s SIR data, citing concerns about data quality and adherence to established procedures. The commission maintains that the submitted data contained numerous errors and inconsistencies, making it unsuitable for integration into the electoral rolls.

The ECI has stated that it follows a rigorous process for verifying and incorporating data from political parties and other sources. They claim that the Congress’s data failed to meet these standards, and its rejection was based on technical grounds, not political considerations. The ECI also points to its ongoing efforts to cleanse voter lists through various initiatives,including the use of technology and collaboration with state governments.

The political Implications & Bihar’s Electoral Landscape

This dispute unfolds against the backdrop of Bihar’s complex political landscape.The state is a crucial battleground in Indian elections, and any perceived irregularities in the electoral process could have significant consequences.

Impact on Opposition Unity: The issue has the potential to further strain relations between the Congress and other opposition parties, particularly if they perceive the ECI’s actions as biased.

Public Trust in Elections: The allegations of irregularities could erode public trust in the electoral process, leading to voter apathy and decreased participation.

Political Mobilization: The Congress is highly likely to leverage this issue to mobilize its supporters and rally opposition forces against the ruling party.

Bihar’s Political Dynamics: Bihar has a history of complex electoral dynamics, and this dispute adds another layer of uncertainty to the upcoming elections. Understanding Bihar politics is crucial to understanding the implications of this dispute.

Examining Past instances of Voter Irregularities in India

This isn’t the first time concerns have been raised about irregularities in Indian voter lists. Several past instances highlight the challenges of maintaining accurate and up-to-date electoral rolls:

2019 General Elections: Reports emerged of discrepancies in voter lists in several states, including West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

* 2014 General Elections: Similar concerns were raised about the presence of deceased voters and duplicate entries in voter lists.