Today, the Supreme Court will hear a case regarding voter verification in Bihar. Opposition parties have filed petitions, calling the process unconstitutional. Questions have been raised about the timing, rules, and transparency of the process.
Voter List Verification: Before the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, the opposition has bly protested the special intensive revision of the voter list. After a Bihar bandh (state-wide shutdown) and a chakka jam (road blockade) on July 9th, the issue has now reached the Supreme Court. The hearing in the Supreme Court on this matter began on Wednesday, July 10th, with several petitions challenging the Election Commission's decision.
Opposition Parties Take a Stand
Leaders of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), including the RJD, Congress, and Left parties, have taken to the streets against voter verification. Prominent leaders like Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Dipankar Bhattacharya participated in the protests. These parties have now challenged the Election Commission's move in the Supreme Court, calling it against constitutional and democratic values.
Petitions by ADR and Other Organizations
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed the first petition in the Supreme Court on July 5th. Subsequently, the RJD, Congress, and nine other parties also filed their own petitions. The Supreme Court has accepted all these petitions for hearing.
Five Major Questions Raised in the Petitions
1. Violation of Constitutional Provisions
Opposition parties allege that the Election Commission's process violates the Constitution's Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326, along with the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. According to these provisions, all citizens have equal rights and the right to vote.
2. Arbitrary Conditions on Citizenship, Birth, and Residence
The petition by activists Arshad Ajmal and Rupesh Kumar states that the documents being demanded by the Election Commission are irrelevant for proving citizenship, birth, and residence. This raises concerns about a large number of citizens being excluded from the voter list.
3. A Decision That Weakens Democratic Principles
The petitioners argue that the entire process undermines the foundation of India's democratic system. They claim that the Election Commission's action is an attempt to limit the right to vote, which goes against the core principles of democracy.
4. Unequal Burden on the Poor and Marginalized
The petitions argue that this process will be an additional burden, especially for the poor, migrant laborers, women, and people living in rural areas. These groups already struggle with the complexities of documentation, and this process could result in their names being removed from the voter list.
5. A Process Initiated at the Wrong Time
Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha from the RJD stated that the process has been initiated during the rainy season, when several districts of Bihar are affected by floods. This will prevent the displaced population and people in rural areas from participating in the voter verification process, potentially depriving millions of voters of their right to vote.
Election Commission's Stand
The Election Commission has dismissed these allegations, stating that citizens whose names are in the voter list published on January 1, 2003, do not need to provide any documents. They will be considered citizens of India under Article 326 of the Constitution.
Furthermore, those whose parents' names are recorded in the list at that time will only need to provide proof of date and place of birth. The Commission clarified that the intention is not to question anyone's citizenship, but the process aims to ensure the accuracy of the list.
What is the Voter Verification Process?
The special intensive revision of the voter list in Bihar began on July 1st. Under this, each voter must verify their identity and citizenship through their documents. This process will continue until July 31st, with the aim of correcting errors in the voter list.
