Election Process Concerns
The current debate moves beyond Aadhaar, addressing its role as a critical document in preventing disenfranchisement. There's a need to focus on deeper issues affecting the electoral roll exercise, particularly with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.
Electoral Roll Procedure and SIR Concerns
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) has historically developed detailed and fair procedures for creating and revising electoral rolls.
- However, the SIR process, initiated by an order on 24.06.2025, deviates from established norms, introducing a new revision type without legal backing.
- The SIR mandated submission of an Enumeration Form, unsupported by law, and required evidence of citizenship, contradictory to previous court rulings.
- A new list of 11 documents with dubious evidentiary value was created, disregarding prior lists.
- This process has faced criticism and legal challenges for its lack of legal basis and transparency.
Violations of ECI Manual
- The exclusion of over 65 lakh voters should have led to cross-verification of polling stations but was largely ignored.
- The ECI manual mandates personal verification by Election Registration Officers (EROs) for any significant voter list changes, which was overlooked.
- There was a failure to verify households with 10 or more electors and booths with abnormal gender ratios.
Claims and Objections Phase
- The ECI failed to maintain transparency in handling claims and objections, as outlined in the Manual.
- There was a lack of data digitization and sharing with political parties, contrary to the ECI's guidelines.
- Violations included premature disposal of claims and objections before the required publication period.
Ongoing Issues and Transparency
- Notices were issued to "ineligible electors" without clear documentation or transparency.
- Speculations and lack of transparency in the process raise concerns about compliance with The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
- These practices pose critical questions about the adherence to legal norms and the transparency of the electoral process.