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75 percent of the voters who have filled the calculation form have not submitted any assistant documents mentioned in the list of 11 documents and their names were included on the recommendation of the election BLO.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Election Commission that it made the details of about 65 lakh voters left out of the draft voter list in Bihar by 9 August. A bench of Justice Suryakant, Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan and Justice N. Kotishwar Singh asked to submit details of voters removed from the Election Commission counsel, which has already been shared with political parties, and a copy of it was also asked to give NGOs, Association for Democratic Reforms. The NGO challenging the June 24 order of the Election Commission, directing the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, filed a new application demanding the Election Commission to direct the names of about 65 lakh removed voters, which also mentions whether they are dead, have been migrated or not considered for any other reason.
Voter is dead or migrated is not clear
The bench told the lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, that the reason for the removal of the name will be told later as it is only a draft list. However, Bhushan argued that some political parties have been given a list of voters removed, but they have not clarified that the said voter is dead or migrated. Bhushan alleged that 75 percent of the voters who have filled the calculation form have not submitted any assistant documents mentioned in the list of 11 documents and their names have been included on the recommendation of the booth level officer (BLO) of the election panel. The bench said that it is starting hearing on a group of petitions challenging the June 24 order of the election panel on August 12 and the NGO can make this claim that day. Describing the Election Commission as a constitutional authority, which is believed to work according to the law, the apex court said on July 29 that if the SIR of the voter list in Bihar is largely boycotted, it will take immediate steps.
Ban on publication of voter list refuses
The Supreme Court had set a deadline to consider a group of petitions challenging the SIR exercise of the Election Commission in Bihar and said that the hearing on the issue would be held on August 12 and 13. Earlier, the apex court said that the ongoing SIR exercise of the voter list in the electoral state Bihar should have collective inclusion rather than boycott. The Election Commission will continue to accept Aadhaar and voter ID card documents. Underlining the perception of the reality of both the documents, the apex court also refused to ban the publication of the draft voter list in Bihar. In the midst of the opposition’s claim that this ongoing process will deprive millions of eligible citizens of their franchise, on August 1, the Election Commission released the much -awaited ‘draft voter list’ in Bihar, including the names of 7.24 crore voters, but more than 65 lakh names were removed, saying that most of the people concerned had died or they had escaped.
Available online for voters
The draft voter list prepared as part of SIR, which has created a lot of controversy as this process was started a few months before the assembly elections, is available online for voters. The Election Commission has said that it is providing district -wise printed copies to the representatives of political parties so that the discrepancies, if any, can be identified during the phase of ‘claims and objections’, which will continue till 1 September before the ‘final role’ is published. Transfer/absent “(36.28 lakhs) and” already enrolled (in more than one place) “(7.01 lakh). The Election Commission’s affidavit in the apex court has justified the SIR of the voter list in Bihar and said that it enhances the correctness of the election by excluding the individuals unworthy of the voter list.
