Severe protests! Election Commission repeals decision in Bihar polls
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New Delhi: The Election Commission has backed down after protests erupted in Bihar against the ‘Special Intensive Revision’ of voters' list that demanded citizenship documents. The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar on Sunday made it clear through newspaper advertisements that the voters' list can be verified without the 11 documents it mandated to prove citizenship, Madhyamam reported.
The poll body also clarified that the ERO (Electoral Registration Officer), who is in charge of the voter lists, will decide whether those who have not submitted the documents are voters. With this, the commission has backed down from the decision that documents to prove citizenship should be submitted by July 25.
After first suggesting that the application forms for adding names to the voter list should be filled and returned along with the necessary documents and photographs as soon as they are received from the BLOs, now they have been asked to fill only the application forms if there are no documents.
The Commission clarified that the application process for inclusion in the voter list would be easier if the voters provided any of the 11 documents requested by the Commission. If they are unable to provide them, the ERO will decide whether the applicant is a voter by conducting an investigation in the area or on the basis of any other documents.
The Commission had at first published a list of 11 documents stating that an Aadhaar card, PAN card, employment guarantee card, voter ID card, driving license, and bank passbook were not acceptable. However, the change of stance was made to cool down the public anger against the Commission after the opposition intensified its protests by making the issue a matter of pride for the Bihar people.
