In Bihar, where assembly elections are due by November, a crucial issue surrounding voters' list has emerged. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the state with over eight crore voters has come under strong criticism for disenfranchising an estimated 3-4 crore voters. This is because the order issued by the ECI on June 24 states that if voters whose names were included in the electoral roll after the 2003 elections want to retain their voting rights this time, they must fill out the form prescribed by the Commission and produce any of the eleven specified citizenship documents mentioned in the order. The time allowed for this is one month. A bandh was called by the opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan in Bihar yesterday (Wednesday) as a protest against this. In parallel, a few petitions filed in the Supreme Court by civil rights organisations and various political leaders against this intensive re-verification are to be considered today.
Also read: ‘Maharashtra Model’ being repeated in Bihar to steal elections: LoP Gandhi
The ECI is responsible for conducting elections and for the preparation of the voters' list as part of it. The Commission's extensive powers also include special and intensive verification in specific places where it deems it necessary. Such verification was carried out in Bihar in 2003. The Commission says that such a special verification is necessary now to make the list flawless because there has been a lot of migration and urbanisation in the last 20 years. But things are not that simple or so innocuous. The short time allowed for submitting the form and certificates makes this exercise questionable. It is almost certain that most voters will not be able to prepare the form and produce the documents to be filled in. The difficulty of this is probably the reason why only 14 percent of the documents have been submitted after ten days. In the assessment that anti-incumbency sentiment is growing in Bihar, there is widespread criticism that this is all a strategy of the ruling dispensation to keep groups that are likely to oppose the BJP-JDU alliance - mainly Muslims, Dalits, and migrant workers - out of the electoral process. And for its part, the ECI, which is supposed to ensure free and fair elections by remaining an impartial institution, has become an entity beholden to the Centre and only pleased to implement the interests of the ruling party.
Also read: Severe protests! Election Commission repeals decision in Bihar polls
Winning the assembly elections in Bihar, which has a population of over 13 crore, is of utmost importance to the BJP. For that, they are also keen to get a grip on the voter list. Not only are many of the documents such as the one certifying the place and date of birth of the voter and his parents, caste certificate, birth certificate, National Register of Citizens, and family certificate provided by the authorities not available to the majority of people; and even when that can be obtained, it will take a lot of time and surmounting of obstacles to get even the ones that are available. However, the Commission does not accept any identity documents like Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, employment cards, or employment guarantee cards. Aadhaar card itself states that it is not a citizenship document. But what is strange is that even the voter ID, which is an identity document issued by the ECI itself, is not acceptable. Rural and illiterate citizens cannot easily organise any of the necessary documents. Moreover, those who are temporarily in other states for employment will have neither the time nor the money for going through this process. Thus they are the ones who are being denied citizenship rights with conditions that can be described as intended to exclude them from the list.
Also read: Bihar electoral revision infringes on promise of universal adult franchise: Civil rights group
It is true that following strong protests, the Election Commission relaxed its previous order. It was willing to make concessions such as extending the deadline, providing that for the time being, the form alone can be submitted and submitting the documents can follow later during the verification. There is also an explanation that even if the documents cannot be submitted, the election officials can make a decision through local verification in each case. However, there is a high possibility that such discretionary decisions will not provide proper justice and there room for prejudicial treatment to creep in. From the Commission's announcement that this model will also be followed in the states of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, where assembly elections are due next year, it is clear that what is happening in Bihar is just a rehearsal and will be replicated in these states. If so, this could become a precursor to a citizenship census. The process is of making a large section second-class citizens by denying them the basic right to vote even though they are allowed to live in the country. It is hoped that those who stand for civil rights will be vigilant enough to nip this move in the bud, which cannot be allowed in any way in a democratic country like India.
Also read: Mahua Moitra moves SC against EC's electoral roll revision in Bihar