EC calls crucial meet on Sept 10 to discuss preparedness for pan-India SIR
The meeting holds significance as it comes ahead of the assembly elections in key states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to meet next week to discuss the preparedness for a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' list, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying.
The ECI has convened a meeting of its state chief electoral officers on Wednesday (September 10), officials told PTI, adding that the preparedness of a pan-India SIR will be discussed.
The meeting holds significance as it comes ahead of the assembly elections in key states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
Also Read | Kerala Congress admits ‘mistake’ as ‘bidi-Bihar’ post backfires: ‘Lack of caution’
This is the third meeting of CEOs after Gyanesh Kumar took over as the chief election commissioner in February.
Earlier in a press conference, the election commission said that after Bihar, the special roll revision will be carried out in across the country.
Why Pan-India SIR?
The primary aim of the intensive revision is to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth.
The move assumes significance in the wake of a crackdown in various states on illegal foreign migrants, including from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Also Read | ECI to involve political parties at grassroots for voter list revision in UP
Eventually, the poll authority will begin special intensive revision in the entire country "for the discharge of its constitutional mandate to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls".
How will EC carry out pan-India SIR?
- As part of the Special Intensive Revision, poll officials will conduct house-to-house verification to ensure an error-free voters' list.
- An additional 'declaration form' has been introduced for applicants seeking to become electors or shifting from outside the state.
- Voters will have to prove that they were born in India before July 1, 1987 and provide any document establishing the date of birth and/or place of birth.
- One of the options listed in the declaration form is that they were born in India between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004.
- Voters will also have to submit documents about the date/place of birth of their parents.
Bihar SIR controversy
The pan-India SIR proposal comes amid an ongoing controversy over the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar. Opposition parties claim crores of eligible citizens will be devoid of voting rights due to a lack of documents.
Also Read | What measures taken to stop caste-based rallies, HC asks central and state govts
The opposition parties, including Congress, levelled allegations that the EC has fudged voter data to help the BJP.
