"Conspiracy to prevent crores of voters from voting": Ghulam Ahmad Mir on SIR exercise in Bihar

Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 11 (ANI): Targeting the Election Commission over voter list revision exercise in Bihar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Friday alleged a conspiracy to prevent crores of citizens from practising their right to vote.
He said that no "poor person or labourer" can complete the formalities that the EC demands in such a short time.
"Just before the upcoming assembly elections, the Election Commission's proactive approach demands documentation that cannot be completed in such a short time in a democratic country. No poor person or labourer can complete the formalities. This suggests there must be a conspiracy through the EC to prevent crores of voters from voting," Mir told ANI.
However, he welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to consider Aadhar, EPIC and Ration cards as Identification proof amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
"The Supreme Court took a thankful step yesterday. SC asked the Election Commission to consider voter ID, Aadhar Card and Ration Card," he added.
Mir questioned the relevance of the SIR drive in Bihar, saying, "Another question is that a year ago, people voted in the Lok Sabha through this procedure, forming governments, and the current government secured 30-35 seats from Bihar. If those votes were valid, then why consider invalidating them now after 8-9 months? SC has given guidance on this, which I believe should be adopted for the EC's better functioning."
On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed the Election Commission to continue with its exercise of conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi did not stay the SIR process but asked the ECI to consider allowing Aadhaar, ration cards, and electoral photo identity cards as admissible documents to prove voter identity during the SIR of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar.
"We are of the prima facie opinion that in the interest of justice, the Election Commission will also include documents like Aadhaar, Ration Card, Voter ID card, etc. It is for the ECI to decide whether it wants to accept the documents or not, and if it does not, then provide reasons for its decision, which shall be sufficient to satisfy the petitioners. Meanwhile, petitioners are not pressing for an interim stay," the bench stated in its order.
In its order, the top court noted that the timeline for the process is very short since elections in Bihar are due in November.
The apex court posted for hearing on July 28 the pleas challenging ECI's move to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar and asked the poll panel to file its affidavit within one week.
During the hearing, the bench opined that Aadhaar should be included within the list of documents permissible as an ID proof.
The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission of India's move to conduct the SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
The petitions challenging the ECI decision were filed by RJD MP Manoj Jha, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), PUCL, activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, and former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam.
The petitions sought a direction to quash the ECI's June 24 directive, which requires large sections of voters in Bihar to submit proof of citizenship to remain on the electoral rolls.
The petition also raised concerns over the exclusion of widely held documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, stating that this would disproportionately affect the poor and marginalised voters, especially in rural Bihar. (ANI)