2.93 crore Bihar electors will have to establish citizenship to vote this year
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2.93 crore Bihar electors will have to establish citizenship to vote this year
The Election Commission (EC) began its ‘special intensive revision’ of Bihar’s electoral rolls this week. Out of the total 7.89 crore electors in the state, 4.96 crore, who were on the rolls as on January 1, 2003, only have to fill and submit the new enumeration form. This means that the remaining 2.93 crore or about 37 per cent of the electors will have to submit documents establishing citizenship, in addition to the form. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003. Opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress, CPI (M), CPI (ML) and TMC, had raised concerns over the exercise potentially disenfranchising electors, particularly the poor, rural and minorities. While the EC has started the process in Bihar, where elections are due in November, it has issued the order for the whole country. The EC said that 77,895 BLOs were already in place and 20,603 more were being appointed for new polling stations.
“Out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of Electoral Roll on 01.01.2003, have to simply verify so, fill the Enumeration Form and submit it,” the EC said in a statement on Saturday.
Unlike the usual revision of the electoral roll through additions and deletions, this time, the EC is preparing the document afresh. All existing electors will have to submit the forms by July 25 in order to be included in the draft roll. For those who were not on the rolls in 2003 — the last time that an intensive revision was done in Bihar — and for new applicants, the EC has asked for proof of date and/or place of birth proof of self if they are born before July 1, 1987; proof of date and/or place of birth of self and one parent if born between July 1, 1987 to December 2, 2004; and proof of date and/or place of birth of self and both parents if born after December 2, 2004.
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Commenting on the start of the process, with booth-level officers (BLOs) going house-to-house to distribute forms to electors, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said: “History begins. Proud moment for all Indians. Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters.”
The EC statement said that 77,895 BLOs were already in place, and 20,603 more were being appointed for new polling stations.
Also Read | Intensive electoral roll revision: Bihar voters may start getting forms from tomorrow
“More than 1 lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor and other vulnerable groups during the SIR. All recognised national and state political parties who are registered with ECI have also already appointed 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAs). They can still appoint more BLAs. Printing as well as door-to-door distribution of new Enumeration Forms for all the existing 7,89,69,844 electors of Bihar has already started in each of the 243 Assembly Constituencies of Bihar,” the EC said.
After the EC announced the revision on June 24, Opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress, CPI (M), CPI (ML) and TMC, had raised concerns over the exercise potentially disenfranchising electors, particularly the poor, rural and minorities.
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While the EC has started the process in Bihar, where elections are due in November, it has issued the order for the whole country.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked whether the EC was trying to “implement the NRC [National Register of Citizens] through backdoors”.
In its statement announcing the move on June 24, the EC had cited migration and inclusion of foreigners onto the rolls as among the reasons behind the move.
“The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003. Various reasons such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision so as to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls. The BLOs shall be conducting house-to-house survey for verification during the process of this intensive revision,” the EC had said.
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In its statement on Saturday, the EC underlined: “The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties and the Election Commission of India follow the Constitution. Article 326 specifies eligibility to become an elector. Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary resident in that constituency, are eligible.”