Why Bihar Sir practice of Election Commission has got widespread criticism

On its face, the special intensive amendment (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar ordered by the Election Commission (EC) should not be considered inadvertently.

Article 324 of the Constitution empowers EC to oversee elections. Article 326 instructs that the franchise is limited to all adult Indian citizens. Updating the electoral rolls is supported by the registration of electoral rules, 1960 and the Representation of the People’s Act, 1950. The last head in Bihar was done in 2003 and since then there have been annual summary amendments in many states.

So, the election roll amendment in Bihar is going to elections in a few months, has stopped such widespread dissatisfaction?

Critics saw it a great step, an adventurous attempt on mass disintegration of Indian citizens. Social activist Yogendra Yadav wrote in a column: “ This is really, as critics, one step in vote ban, demonetisation (demonization) and detection (lockdown). The best and dumb on the diabolic, the worst, this Dracian policy shift can remove only one right that has crores of common Indians – the right to vote. ,

EC may lie well in an explanation offered by EC for amendment. These include migration, need to take out foreign illegal immigrants, to include new eligible voters and remove the names of the dead.

The order of the EC is clear: Each voter must fill the calculation form with the current picture, signature, some basic details, evidence of citizenship. Those who had their name on the 2003 electoral role (ER) (considering the exact name and residence) have a shortcut. They can attach a copy of the page carrying their names in ER-2003. This will be accepted as evidence of their citizenship.

The EC has claimed that 4.96 crore people (currently 63%on ER) will be able to take this shortcut, which will lead to less than 3 crore distance to prove their eligibility. In the Hindu, Rahul Shastri claimed that EC had not considered the number of deaths, migration and residence transfer since 2003! He shows that the correct figure is close to 3.16 crores.

‘Documentary proof’

In the first, the citizen from the state has been transferred from the state due to being in the list of voters. Those who fail to present the fresh calculation form by 25 July will be automatically released out of the draft role. In addition, for the first time, every person will need to provide a documentary of his citizenship to qualify in the list of voters.

In other words, Aadhaar card, EC photo identity card, ration card or MGNREGA is not enough for job card, as none of them will be accepted to nominate anyone as voters by ECI.

While political Hals have been raised with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CM-Espire Tejashwi Yadav on 9 July, announced a general strike, the matter has reached the Supreme Court.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has contacted the apex court questioning the way the EC’s decision to start the head of the electoral role.

In its Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the ADR said that SIR needs to be set separately, as people were emphasized to prove their citizenship and their parents within a short notice and without rely on the identity documents available without easily, the Aadhaar card would potentially disruptions about 3 crore voters.

A special summary amendment (SSR) was done in the state between October 29, 2024 and January 6, 2025 to address migration and disqualified voter issues due to death or other causes. Pointing to this, the petition stated, “There is no reason for such rigorous practice in an election bound state in such a short time, violating the rights of votes of millions of voters.”

The Supreme Court on July 7 on July 10 agreed to listen to a batch of petitions challenging the EC’s decision.

Former director of Patna’s A Sinha Institute, DM Diwakar says and currently with the Vikas Research Institute, Jalalain: “ We have to face the truth – the kind of evidence the ECI is asking for the kind of evidence, it is not just present with most people because the state never supplied them to them which demand them today. ,

According to him, it is sad that at this time of the year, when farmers are facing drought -like conditions, they are raising slogans to cultivate their crops, the EC is demanding documents that they may not be able to produce in time.

In addition, there are other implications, Diwakar says. Many voters were born here. If left out of the electoral roll, they cannot qualify for future benefits and government programs. This is a completely opposed poor trick. ,

A consensus on the number of voters is also elusive, at the moment. The EC released an advertisement in all the articular dailys on July 6 to urge 7.8 crore voters to present their enumeration form and present their respective block level officers (BLOS) without filling their enumeration form and attaching any documents. The draft rolls will be published in August in which any voter can increase objections or correct discrepancies. The final draft of the list of voters will be published in September.

Political sources suggest that the main trigger for SIR may be to evacuate illegal Bangladeshi migrants in some parts of Bihar, especially the limiting areas, which form districts of Purnia, Kichhanj, Araria and Katihar. The BJP has campaigned against illegal migrants for years.

Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari says it is important to focus on the rights of citizenship. “ It is interesting to note that EC Form 6, which accepts fresh voters, is not a column on citizenship rights. Nobody can say, why. Therefore, what should have been done in the first example, is now being done in Bihar. ,

The bone of the dispute is not so high, but the way of execution. Former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy told the reporter: “ The CEC is well within its rights to call for the voters’ list. While some people have expressed concern over time, EC is more than ready. He has already appointed 77,895 blossoms and is expected to include 20,603 more. ,

However, he said that such decisions are taken in consultation with political parties and require time.

And there may be a difference. Analyst Diwakar explains that unlike 2025, in 2003, when it was last held, was a comprehensive practice with several rounds of discussion with political parties before the last announcement.

This decision of EC declared on 24 June was a bolt in blue.