Ballots and Backlash: Owaisi Questions Bihar’s Voter List Purge Ahead of Assembly Polls

Image Source: India Today

As Bihar prepares to face its next Assembly polls, a massive voter roll transformation ordered by the Election Commission has set the political arena ablaze. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly opposed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, cautioning that the haste would leave lakhs—if not crores—of voters, especially the poor and marginalized, disenfranchised.

Top Developments from Owaisi's Statement:
Critical Observations

Owaisi questioned the logic behind the cleaning process, asking why allegedly illegal voters had been allowed to cast their votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if their validity is brought into question now.

He attributed the blame to the Election Commission for rushing the SIR process without adequate preparation and training of the Booth Level Officers.

AIMIM president cautioned that removing the names would not only deprive individuals of their voting right but also welfare schemes, ration cards, and livelihood.

Ground-Level Issues Key Issues Raised by AIMIM and Friends:

Most of the migrant workers from Bihar who return are irregular because of flood or displacement and are vulnerable to exclusion.

Owaisi also highlighted that 2 percent of Bihar's population have passports and merely 14 percent of them are graduates, thus emphasizing the documentation gap.

AIMIM Bihar president Akhtarul Iman also expressed similar apprehensions, calling on the Election Commission to halt or defer the revision exercise.

Legal and Procedural Red Flags Structural Issues Highlighted

Owaisi further pointed out that the last such widespread update in Bihar was done in 2003, much before elections, and there was scope for correction.

He cautioned that the present schedule—three months to polls—allows for no legal recourse or voter sensitization of any sort. The AIMIM chief also referred to the unbridled powers granted to Electoral Registration Officers and Booth Level Officers, who can report suspected voters to the authorities under the Citizenship Act.

Opposition Echo Chamber Wider Political Responses:

INDIA opposition leaders like Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leaders have also joined the criticism and have called the move a threat to democracy.

There have been complaints that the revision is a backdoor attempt to bring in NRC-like measures in Bihar.

The critics argue that the timing and scale of the revision are evidence of a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise Dalits, minorities, and weaker economic segments.

Election Commission’s Stand Official Justifications:

The Commission has justified the SIR on the grounds of eliminating ineligible names citing rapid urbanization, migration, and under-reporting of deaths.

The effort began on June 25 and will conclude with the final roll publication of September 30.

The government contends that the amendment is intended to raise electoral integrity and transparency.

Sources: India Today NDTV ANI News The Economic Times Election Commission of India (eci.gov.in)