The opposition's protest regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar continues. In this matter, the Supreme Court has clarified that if any illegality or irregularity is proven in the voter list, the results of the Special Intensive Revision can be cancelled.
Patna: Political and social controversy has intensified in Bihar regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). From opposition parties to the general public, there is b opposition to this process. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India has made an important comment on this matter.
The Supreme Court has stated that if any kind of illegality is found in the voter list, the results of this SIR underway in Bihar can be cancelled by September. This decision came during the Supreme Court's hearing on disputes arising from the extensive revision of the voter list before the Bihar Assembly elections.
What is Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The objective of SIR is to clean up the voter list and remove illegal or deceased voters registered in it. Before the assembly elections in Bihar, this process has been implemented by the Election Commission to ensure fair and transparent elections. However, opposition parties and many civil organizations say that this process is violating constitutional rights and many citizens are at risk of being removed from the voter list.
The Supreme Court has said that if illegality is proven in this SIR process, such as someone being wrongly removed from the voter list or injustice based on documents, the Election Commission's review results can be cancelled. The court clarified that if irregularities are found in document verification, this process could be halted by September. This hearing is taking place on petitions challenging the Election Commission's voter re-verification process.
Arguments of the Petitioners
The petitioners argued in court that the Election Commission does not have the right to determine citizenship in the voter list. They argue that the right to matters related to citizenship rests only with the central government, especially the Ministry of Home Affairs. They said that the Election Commission's demand for documents and the fact that it does not consider proofs like Aadhaar cards sufficient to prove citizenship is wrong. The petitioners also say that the Election Commission's job is only to ensure the identification of voters, not to determine their citizenship.
The Election Commission has clarified on its behalf that the objective of the SIR process is only to increase the credibility of the voter list and ensure the transparency of elections. The Commission has said that this step is necessary to strengthen the country's democracy. The Election Commission also says that it has not attempted to take away anyone's right to vote without due process and that all complaints are being taken seriously.
