The Election Commission (EC) defended the need for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll on Monday in the face of growing opposition party criticism, pointing out that the voters' list is a dynamic document that needs to be updated frequently to maintain accuracy and integrity. The Commission emphasised that it is required by the Constitution to make sure that only eligible Indian citizens are included and that those who are not are excluded.
A number of opposition parties have voiced concerns that the state apparatus may abuse the revision process to purposefully exclude particular voters. In response to these worries, the Election Commission of India released a statement outlining the ongoing exercise's practical and legal necessity.
Election rolls naturally fluctuate over time, the Commission explained, because of things like the passing of current voters, people moving to or from constituencies, and the addition of new voters who have just turned 18. "The eligibility requirements for becoming an elector are outlined in Article 326 of the Constitution," the statement said. "Only the Indian citizens who are regular residents of the constituency and who are at least eighteen-years-old may register to vote."
The EC declared that it has posted the 2003 Bihar electoral roll, the last one to undergo a thorough revision, on its official website in a major move to streamline the verification process during the revision. The names and information of 4.96 crore people are included in this roll.
The ongoing SIR process in Bihar is anticipated to be substantially aided by the availability of this digitised 2003 roll. Nearly 60 per cent of the current electorate, according to the Election Commission, will not need to submit new documentation because they can just submit the completed enumeration form and compare their current information with the 2003 electoral records.
Also Read: EC begins voter verification drive across Bihar
These records will be accessible to both voters and Booth Level Officers (BLOs), facilitating easier processing and verification. The Commission also made it clear that people can still use the 2003 roll to confirm their parent's information even if their names are not on it. In these situations, the parent would only need the pertinent excerpt from the 2003 electoral roll and no other paperwork.
Along with the completed enumeration form, these electors would only need to submit their own documents. The EC also underlined that updating the electoral roll is a required procedure rather than an optional one. The Commission must update electoral rolls prior to each election in accordance with the Representation of the People Act of 1950 and Rule 25 of the Registration of Electors Rules of 1960. It stated that for more than 75 years, it has been carrying out intensive and annual revisions, including summary revisions.
The EC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the democratic right to vote with this revision, making sure that the electoral roll continues to accurately and inclusively reflect all eligible citizens.
Also Read: Bihar 2003 voter list now available on ECI website
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