Why are Aadhaar cards not accepted during voter list verification?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tejashwi Yadav raises concerns about Aadhaar card acceptance.
- Election Commission accused of issuing contradictory orders.
- Demand for transparency in the voter list revision process.
- Congress plans state-wide protests in response.
- Concerns over voter disenfranchisement leading up to elections.
Patna, July 7 (NationPress) The political landscape in Bihar has heated up regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has raised significant concerns about the operations of the Election Commission during a press briefing held in Patna on Monday.
Yadav questioned the exclusion of Aadhaar cards from the voter list verification process, despite their acceptance for creating new voter IDs.
“On July 5, we approached the Election Commission with our concerns, but we are yet to receive any clear response. The Bihar Election Commission appears to function like a post office, lacking the authority to engage with political parties and the public,” Yadav asserted.
He further accused the Election Commission of being disoriented, issuing conflicting directives.
“Their advertisements present one narrative, while their official instructions convey another. For instance, one advertisement suggests that forms may be submitted without documentation, while the directive contradicts this,” he elaborated.
Yadav demanded transparency and requested the Commission to provide detailed responses to the questions raised, particularly asking why Aadhaar cards are permissible for new voter ID registrations but not for the revision process.
He also called for clarification regarding who is managing the revision process, questioning whether it is government staff or private contractors, and insisted that the Commission make this information public.
In a related development, RJD's ally, Congress, also criticized the Election Commission, claiming it is completely bewildered and uncertain about which directives to adhere to.
The Congress party has announced a state-wide Chakka Jam across Bihar on July 9 in protest against the ongoing voter list revision.
Senior leader Rahul Gandhi is anticipated to join the protest.
The voter list revision has sparked intense backlash from the opposition in Bihar, especially with the upcoming 2025 Assembly elections, amid fears that it could disenfranchise many voters within the state.