Bihar's updated voters list has faced backlash for containing wrong photos and the names of deceased individuals, prompting opposition parties to allege manipulation aimed at disenfranchising certain communities before upcoming elections.
Controversy Erupts over Bihar's New Voters List Amid Election Preparations
Controversy Erupts over Bihar's New Voters List Amid Election Preparations
The draft electoral rolls in Bihar, India, stir accusations of inclusion of deceased individuals and erroneous photos, raising concerns over voter disenfranchisement ahead of elections.
The recent unveiling of updated draft electoral rolls for Bihar, a crucial Indian state gearing up for assembly elections in November, has ignited controversy over purported discrepancies including the presence of deceased individuals and incorrect photographs. Following a month-long voter verification process known as Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Election Commission reported a total of 72.4 million names on the new voter list. This represents a reduction of 6.5 million names from previous rolls, supposedly reflecting deletions due to deaths, duplications, and migrants.
However, opposition parties and election monitoring groups accuse the commission of an expedited process that has led to numerous errors and disenfranchisement, particularly among Muslim voters concentrated in border districts. Supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have faced allegations of benefiting politically from the purging of voters deemed unfavorable.
The Election Commission has rebuffed these charges, stating that the revisions were conducted responsibly and affirming their commitment to ensuring no eligible voter is omitted. They emphasized that a nationwide review is also being prepared to cover nearly a billion voters. Despite this assurance, civil society and community voices raise alarms over the integrity of the process.
During the SIR, which took place from June to July, complaints from voters such as incorrect personal details and names of deceased voters appearing on the list were common. In rural areas, many inhabitants were either unaware of the revision process or confused about how it impacted their voting rights, with some expressing their fear that losing the ability to vote would deepen their poverty.
Doubts have been raised about the efficacy of the verification process; for instance, the presence of repeat names and incorrect photographs suggests systemic failures. Political activists are set to present evidence in court, where they argue that the swift nature of the SIR was strategic timing ahead of the elections, thus potentially undermining genuine voter representation.
In the face of these dilemmas, key political figures have called for prolonged and more transparent reviews, while opposing parties question the Election Commission's credibility in managing such an important electoral task. The criticism is coloring political dialogue in Bihar as the state moves closer to what many deem a pivotal election season.
