A controversy surrounds the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. The process has sparked protests across the state and beyond, with leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav leading voter rights marches in opposition to SIR. Amidst this, the Election Commission has issued notices to individuals who have migrated to Bihar from Bangladesh and Nepal. The commission is targeting approximately 300,000 individuals, with their names potentially being removed from the voter list if they fail to provide satisfactory responses.
The Election Commission initiated the SIR to purify the electoral rolls before the upcoming assembly elections. The notices were issued to voters with discrepancies in their documentation. The border district of Kishanganj has seen the highest number of such cases.
Concerns have been raised about the possession of Indian voter ID cards by citizens from Bangladesh and Nepal. When questioned, residents of the Thakurganj, Galgalia, and Besarbanti panchayats stated that due to the close proximity to the Nepal border and the long-standing familial ties between India and Nepal, with marriages occurring across the border, many individuals face challenges providing the required documentation.
Specifically, the 11 types of documents now being requested by the BLOs (Booth Level Officers) are difficult to obtain. One reason is that the parents are residents of Nepal, and in many cases, the fathers are deceased.
Some residents are appealing for citizenship in light of these circumstances. Others claim they submitted all necessary documents to the BLO. One individual stated that his father came from Bangladesh, but he was born in India. He is now worried about losing his voting rights. He provided a voter ID and Aadhaar card but couldn’t submit proof of residence as he had been working outside the area.
Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party, joined Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav in the voter rights march in Bihar. He criticized SIR, claiming it aims to steal votes. He argued that the current actions of stripping away voting rights are a precursor to taking away other rights like caste certificates and ration cards. He questioned the ruling party’s handling of issues like inflation and unemployment.
