Are There Irregularities in Bihar's Voter List Revision?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Irregularities in voter list revision process
- Impact on voter disenfranchisement
- Importance of Supreme Court recommendations
- Political implications for Bihar Assembly elections
- Grand Alliance's commitment to voter rights
Patna, July 13 (NationPress) As the voter list revision process heats up ahead of the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Tejashwi Yadav sharply criticized the Election Commission, alleging significant irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Speaking to reporters in Patna, he asserted that voter list revision forms are scattered throughout the state, including on flyovers and even with a jalebi vendor in Deoghar, citing a newspaper article.
He also claimed that forms were found discarded at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, sharing related videos and clips on social media to substantiate his allegations.
Tejashwi accused the Election Commission of “planting news quoting unnamed sources to cover up its failures,” referring to such sources as “urine,” and elaborating, “Urine means a waste material that spreads foul smell.”
He remarked that these sources had previously claimed that Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi were captured during Operation Sindoor.
He dismissed the Election Commission's assertion that over 80.11 percent of the voter list revision forms have been submitted, arguing that the actual situation is drastically different and that the Commission is disregarding the Supreme Court’s recent recommendations to accept Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and other documents for verification.
“No amendments have been made thus far, and the grievances of voters and opposition parties are continuously overlooked,” Tejashwi stated.
The Bihar LoP further alleged that the Election Commission is operating under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“This time, there will be a do-or-die battle in Bihar. You can take away our bread, but not our right to vote,” he cautioned.
Emphasizing the potential consequences of errors in the voter list, Tejashwi mentioned that if even one percent of the voters in Bihar are not verified, approximately 7.9 lakh voters could lose their voting rights, translating to an average of 3,251 votes being omitted in each Assembly constituency.
“In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, there were 52 seats where the margin of defeat was less than 5,000 votes. Is all this occurring at the behest of the ruling party? Are voters being removed without their consent? Is this not against democracy?” the LoP questioned.
Demanding an immediate explanation from the Election Commission, Tejashwi reaffirmed that the Grand Alliance remains vigilant in safeguarding the voting rights of Bihar’s citizens and will persist in advocating for fair elections within the state.