ECI Claims No Objection To Bihar Draft SIR Submitted By Any Political Party; 5,015 claims Received Directly From Electors

The Election Commission of India on Thursday said that not even a single claim or objection has been submitted by any political party regarding the draft electoral rolls in Bihar.

The polling body has asserted that no eligible elector will be left out and no ineligible elector will be included in the final electoral roll of Bihar. It has appealed to submit claims and objections to rectify any errors in the draft electoral Roll of Bihar, which was published on August 1.

No Claim From Political Parties, 5,015 Received Directly From Electors: ECI

However, the EC has received 5,015 claims and objections directly from the electors concerning the draft roll till today, said the ECI.

Forms received from new electors on attaining 18 years of age or above are 27,517. As per the rules, the claims & objections are to be disposed of by the concerned Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO/AERO) after the expiry of 7 days. 

As per SIR orders, no name can be deleted from the draft list published on August 1, without passing a speaking order by the ERO/AERO after conducting an enquiry and after giving a fair and reasonable opportunity.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has sparked a political row, with the opposition INDIA bloc alleging that the revision process could lead to the deletion of many voters. They have been protesting in the Parliament, demanding a discussion over the Bihar SIR, since the start of this year’s monsoon session.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the ECI to file its response by August 9 on a fresh application of an NGO seeking disclosure of data of 65 lakh voters who were not included in the Bihar draft electoral roll after the SIR drive.

Supreme Court Orders ECI To Reply By August 9 To Furnish Details Of 65 Lakh Voters Deleted From Bihar Draft Rolls

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, mentioned the matter before the apex court, saying no specific information has been given on who is dead and who has permanently migrated out.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh asked the counsel for the Election Commission to furnish the details of deleted voters, the data which has been shared with the political parties, and give a copy to the NGO. 

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