ECI retreats under pressure from TMC

The notification issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the elections in Bihar has stirred a veritable controversy and debate. There are numerous allegations from the Trinamool Congress, RJD, and other Opposition parties concerning the revision of the voter list. In the light of this situation, the poll panel is attempting to navigate away from the ongoing barrage of criticisms.

In Bengal, although elections are scheduled for next year, voting will take place in Bihar at the end of this year. Just before that, the RJD has also raised its voice along with the Trinamool Congress. Therefore, discussions are underway to ease the Trinamool Congress’s opposition to the revision of the voter list. On Tuesday, a five-member delegation from the Trinamool Congress met with officials of the ECI at their headquarters in Delhi. After the meeting, MP Kalyan Banerjee stated, “They are somewhat deviating from their previous decision and have assured that they will give special consideration to the points we raised.”

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The Trinamool’s contention is that all voters present in 2024 will undoubtedly remain on the voter list without any conditions. MP Kalyan Banerjee stated, “They have taken note of this. They mentioned that we will consider it. There were issues regarding birth certificates (in 1987 and 2003), and they have indicated that we will not rely on that. Those who are voters will continue to be voters.”

The issue of providing proof of the birthdates and birthplaces of parents has prompted a strong reaction from Trinamool leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She asserts that Bihar is a mere excuse, the real target of the ECI is Bengal. In fact, the Modi government is conspiring to include the names of ‘outsiders’ in the voter list, excluding the supporters of Trinamool.

Following Mamata Banerjee, the leader of the Opposition in Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, voiced his concerns. Consequently, the ECI was compelled to address the ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of the voter list. On Monday, they officially announced that individuals whose names are on the 2003 voter list in Bihar will not be required to provide any documents. Simply filling out the ‘Enumeration Form’ will suffice. Moreover, their children will also be exempt from providing their parents’ documents. However, they must still prove their citizenship and complete the ‘Enumeration Form’.

The team leader of this group, MP Kalyan Bandopadhyay from the Srirampur constituency, stated, “We have always maintained that no one’s name should be excluded; if new names are added, they should be communicated to political parties like ours, as issues have arisen regarding the review process.”

It is noteworthy that the commission’s relevant guidelines required the birthdates and birthplaces of the parents of individuals born after 1987. However, the commission has somewhat deviated from this requirement. MP Kalyan mentioned that during the meeting, the ECI officials repeatedly stated that the demands of the Trinamool would be considered.

Kalyan Banerjee remarked, “Although it was previously suggested that names from 1987 would not be accepted, the commission has slightly altered that decision. We have insisted that the base level should be set for 2024, and they have indicated that they will take this into consideration.”

Currently, it is sufficient to mention the names listed in the 2003 voter list; additionally, a draft list is being prepared. Those who do not possess any documents will also be able to fill out the ‘Enumeration Form’. However, prior to the creation of the final list, it will be necessary to present documents to the booth-level officer.

According to the ECI, there is no controversy regarding the rectification of this voter list, as it is being conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution. This initiative aims to ensure that no voter in the state is excluded from their voting rights while also ensuring that no illegal voters’ names are included in the list.

Before the elections in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Haryana, there have been multiple controversies. On this occasion, the Trinamool Congress MPs reminded the officials of the commission about this. They raised the question how a significant number of voters’ names are being added to the electoral roll just three to four months prior to the elections. The commission responded, “Names can be removed from the voter list until the day of nomination submission; after that, they cannot be removed. This means that names cannot be removed just 24 days before the elections, and we believe this is also causing difficulties. We are stating that there is no issue with voters who are 18 or 21 years old. However, how can 40,000 voters aged 50 to 60 suddenly appear on the voter list at this time? In this regard, they are indicating that they are seriously considering all these points.”