The Supreme Court has stated that the Election Commission’s ongoing revision of the Bihar voter list could be invalidated if any illegality is proven in the process. This comes just months before the state’s upcoming Assembly elections, with the Court giving an assurance that the revision can be set aside as late as September.
The Election Commission (EC) has been conducting a special “intensive revision” of voter rolls in Bihar, asking residents to submit various documents to re-verify their citizenship. The commission’s decision to exclude commonly accepted IDs like Aadhaar cards has sparked controversy, as the EC argues that these are not definitive proof of citizenship. Instead, the commission has insisted that such documents are easier to forge and therefore not suitable for re-verification.
During the hearing, the Court acknowledged that Aadhaar cards alone cannot be considered proof of citizenship. However, petitioners raised concerns about the legitimacy of the process and questioned the EC’s authority to determine citizenship. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha, argued that the EC should not have the power to establish citizenship, as this responsibility lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
While the government is tasked with granting or revoking citizenship, Justice Surya Kant emphasized that the exclusion of non-citizens from voter rolls does fall within the EC’s jurisdiction. The court’s comments were seen as a positive development for opposition leaders and activists who have challenged the EC’s re-verification exercise.
The controversy has also fueled opposition accusations that the Election Commission is acting in collusion with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming the voter list revision is a tactic to disenfranchise marginalized communities, who traditionally vote for Congress and its allies. The opposition has argued that the re-verification is being used to remove large numbers of eligible voters, particularly in regions where the Congress has strong support.
In response, the Election Commission has denied any such collusion, insisting that the revision is simply aimed at “purifying” the voter list by removing ineligible voters, such as those who have passed away or moved out of the state. The EC has also demanded proof from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has accused the poll body of manipulating the process.
The BJP, on the other hand, has mocked the opposition’s claims, suggesting they are simply making excuses in anticipation of an electoral defeat in November.
According to the Election Commission, over 65 lakh individuals, including many from Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, have already been removed from the voter list as part of this process.
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