Protests over elections in India lead to arrest of Rahul Gandhi among others
In the Indian state of Bihar, a significant concern has arisen over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Critics and opposition parties argue that the process, which requires voters to submit official documentation like birth certificates, passports, and matriculation records, may disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, particularly the Muslim minority due to socio-economic factors and lower literacy rates in the region.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has carried out the SIR, deleting around 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters from the draft electoral roll. The Supreme Court has ordered the ECI to publish booth-wise details of exclusions with specific reasons, such as death, migration, or duplicate registration.
While the ECI defends the roll revision as a necessary and transparent exercise aimed at cleaning the rolls, critics question the arbitrary cut-off date of January 2003 for inclusion and the hasty and opaque implementation of the process. The opposition parties have described the revision as rushed and potentially discriminatory, fearing it could disenfranchise many legitimate voters, including Muslims, potentially impacting electoral outcomes in the upcoming 2025 Bihar Assembly Elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Modi, supports the electoral roll changes in Bihar. However, the opposition parties accuse the BJP of targeting the Muslim minority in the state and manipulating the electoral process. The BJP, in response, has accused the opposition of creating a "state of anarchy" by sowing seeds of doubt about the electoral process.
Notably, Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was temporarily detained by police in New Delhi following a protest against perceived electoral malpractice. The federal Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that the opposition parties are in a state of bankruptcy due to their continuous losses.
Bihar is home to a significant Muslim minority (around 17.7% according to the 2023 census). The ECI claims that the changes are needed to prevent the inclusion of foreign illegal immigrants in the electoral roll, a term used in the context of Bihar to refer to undocumented Muslims from Bangladesh. However, the BJP did not provide any specific evidence to support their claims about foreign illegal immigrants in the electoral roll.
The opposition parties continue to express concerns about the potential disenfranchisement of the Muslim minority in Bihar and other key states. The Supreme Court is monitoring the process and has ordered greater transparency. The ECI maintains this is a necessary and transparent exercise aimed at cleaning the rolls.
Despite the ongoing debate, the risk and allegations of disproportionate exclusion of Indian Muslims in Bihar's electoral roll revision remain a significant and ongoing issue.
Read also:
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Proposed Standardization of Food Labeling Laws Among Member States by the Commission
- Current News: AfD Achieves 26% - Union Dips to Laschet's Level
