Bihar Voter List Revision Row: Mahua Moita Alleges EC To Target Bengal Next, Moves SC

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra has alleged that the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar is intended to deprive the bonafide young electorate from voting during the upcoming elections. The panel's next target would be West Bengal, Moitra alleged.

While Bihar goes to the polls later this year, assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled in 2026. The TMC will fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the West Bengal assembly elections.

Also Read | Bihar: SC to hear petitions against ECI's special voter list revision on July 10

Moitra, the Lok Sabha MP from Krishnagar in West Bengal, has moved the Supreme Court challenging the ECI exercise that began on June 25. In the petition, Moitra has alleged that it violates several provisions of the Constitution and the Representation of People (RP) Act, 1950.

"They (EC) have now introduced it to deprive the bonafide young electorate of Bihar, where elections are slated to be held shortly. Later, they will target Bengal, where elections are due in 2026," Moitra told news agency PTI.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has already flagged this issue and talked about the EC's "diabolical game plan", she said.

"Leaders of different opposition parties have also voiced concern over the move and asked EC not to go ahead with it. We have now moved the Supreme Court to intervene in the issue," the Krishnanagar M said.

'Aimed at disabling lakhs of bonafide voters'

Moitra said the order for the SIR was "aimed at disabling lakhs of bonafide voters who were born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004 and help the BJP at the Centre.

In her plea to the apex court, Moitra sought a direction to restrain the Election Commission of India from issuing similar orders in other states of the country.

The EC on June 24 issued instructions to carry out an SIR in Bihar, apparently to weed out ineligible names and ensure only eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll.

Attaching a video of her statement before PTI, Moitra later posted on X handle, "The @ECISVEEP is now @BJP4India 's arm - executing its Machiavellian plans on ground. Has forgotten its constitutional mandate to provide enabling services to citizens to exercise their franchise.

Also Read | RJD challenges Bihar voter list revision in SC, 'initial phase over,' says EC

The SIR order was in violation of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 21, 325, 328 of the Constitution and provisions of the Representation of People (RP) Act, 1950 and Registration of Electors (RER) Rules, 1960, she said.

Besides Moitra, several civil society organisations such as PUCL and the Association of Democratic Reforms, and activists like Yogendra Yadav have approached the top court against the ECI's direction.

According to the ECI, the exercise was necessitated by rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths, and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants.

The ECI said it would scrupulously adhere to the constitutional and legal provisions when revising electoral rolls.

(With agency inputs)

Key Takeaways

• The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) order by the ECI is seen as politically motivated.
• Legal challenges against the ECI highlight concerns over voter disenfranchisement.
• This situation reflects broader tensions between political parties and electoral authorities in India.

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