The Election Fee launched an inventory of 65 lakh voters deleted from Bihar’s draft rolls, following the Supreme Court docket’s directive, addressing privateness considerations and responding to allegations of irregularities.
In a press convention held on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar clarified the Election Fee’s (EC) actions relating to the deletion of names from Bihar’s draft electoral rolls following the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) course of. He confirmed that the checklist of roughly 65 lakh eliminated names has been posted on the web sites of District Magistrates inside 56 hours of the Supreme Court docket’s order. The checklist is searchable by Electoral Picture Id Card (EPIC) numbers, as mandated by the apex courtroom.
Kumar emphasised that the courtroom had not required the EC to share machine-readable lists, which might probably breach voter privateness. He defended the timing of the SIR train, which came about simply earlier than the state’s Meeting elections, asserting that it was meant to deal with all current shortcomings within the voter rolls.
The CEC responded to a query about allegations relating to “faux voters,” significantly these in panchayats and municipalities the place home numbers had been lacking. He defined that such voters had been beforehand allowed to register regardless of not having home numbers, because of the lack of correct home numbering techniques. “To name them faux voters is unsuitable,” he asserted.
Addressing the timing of the revision, Kumar additionally identified that no claims or objections had been raised through the draft roll stage in Maharashtra regardless of allegations of irregularities. He questioned why no election petition was filed after the elections in that state. On considerations about polling information discrepancies, Kumar mentioned, “Repeated claims don’t make them true,” and highlighted that polling patterns don’t change simply due to claims.
The EC additionally responded to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote chori” throughout a press convention. Gandhi had shared images of voters and alleged irregularities within the election course of. Kumar criticised Gandhi for making public voters’ pictures with out their consent and requested him to submit an affidavit inside seven days offering proof or face a public apology.
As per the Supreme Court docket’s August 14 order, the EC launched the district-wise checklist of voters whose names had been omitted and the explanations for his or her removing, together with demise, migration, or double registration. The checklist is accessible by the EC’s official web site, with a brand new hyperlink activated for simple entry by voters.
(PTI inputs)