NEW DELHI: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar asserted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls is an ‘inclusive’ exercise and that it is “inevitable for strengthening democracy”, while responding to the opposition. “Pure electoral rolls are inevitable for strengthening democracy,” Kumar said.However, opposition parties have firmly stated that the exercise would deprive crores of voters their right to vote.Notably, the Supreme Court had on Monday agreed to hear on July 10 a batch of petitions challenging the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.Several fresh pleas including a joint petition by opposition leaders of Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, JMM, CPI and CPI (ML) were filed in the apex court against the poll panel’s decision to conduct the special intensive revision before Bihar go to polls later this year.INDIA bloc calls ‘Bihar bandh’ on July 9 against EC’s revision of voters’ list in State, Rahul Gandhi likely to participateAs the top court is set to become the new battle ground between the opposition and the poll authority, EC officials said the revision exercise is all-inclusive as it is reaching the existing 7,89,69,844 electors of Bihar. They also contended that pre-filled enumeration forms with details such as the elector’s name, address, and old photo are made available to every existing elector.The pre-filled enumeration forms have been distributed to 7.69 crore or 97.42 per cent electors.Booth-level officers (BLOs) are visiting each household at least three times to collect the filled-up enumeration forms, to ensure that no one is left out. As the first visit has been completed, a second visit is underway.All those who submit enumeration forms will be included in the draft electoral roll to be published on August 1. Electoral registration officers will prepare the draft electoral roll by including all the electors whose enumeration forms have been received before July 25.’Engineered exclusions’: RJD moves SC against EC’s electoral roll revision in poll-bound BiharEligibility documents can also be submitted separately during the claims and objections period which ends on September 1, they underlined.They said the eligibility of an elector is as per Article 326 of the Constitution, read with Sections 16 and 19 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.They said that exclusion from the voters’ list would only be after inquiry, speaking orders of ERO, which are appealable to DM/CEO.After publication of draft rolls, ERO will scrutinise the eligibility of proposed electors and come to satisfaction based on documents and field reports.In case of any doubt regarding eligibility of any elector whose name has appeared in the draft roll, ERO will pass speaking orders after giving notice to such proposed elector and any person aggrieved by decision of the ERO, may prefer an appeal to the DM and second appeal can be preferred before the CEO against order of the DM, in accordance with Section 24 of the RP Act, 1950, they said.
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