Cong Criticises ECI Over Delay In Adding Aadhaar As Proof Of Identity In SIR Exercise

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) The Congress on Wednesday questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) on its delay in including Aadhaar card as proof of identity in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar, as instructed by the Supreme Court, and also for issuing a show-cause notice to party leader Pawan Khera allegedly without an investigation.

Addressing the media at the Indira Bhawan party headquarters in the national capital, Congress Working Committee member and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that the poll body had suddenly introduced SIR in June, just four months before the Assembly election was expected in Bihar.

The process began without any notice or adequate advice, he added.

Giving earlier instances, Singhvi said that a similar exercise was postponed in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh in 2003 since elections were near.

Then why did the ECI go ahead with the exercise in Bihar, he asked.

Terming the removal of the Aadhaar card from the list of valid documents for establishing voting rights during SIR as a mystery, he blamed the ECI for not explaining the reason for striking out the names of 65 lakh electors.

The Supreme Court on Monday, September 8, directed the ECI to treat the Aadhaar card as a "12th document" which can be produced as proof of identity for the purpose of inclusion in the revised voters list of Bihar.

The Congress leader questioned the poll body over its reaction to the Supreme Court direction. If the document is valid for matters of importance like ration cards, pension scheme, and income tax, then why was ECI going on denying its inclusion for SIR, he queried.

He pointed out that the Apex Court had, on at least three occasions before Monday, instructed the poll body to include Aadhaar in the SIR process, but ECI repeatedly raised objections and kept postponing it.

Thus, the Apex Court was forced to order the Commission to include it, he claimed.

The Congress leader termed as revengeful the Delhi poll office serving show cause notice to party media cell chairman Pawan Khera and his wife, Neelima Kota.

He said that Khera was served a notice on September 2 and his personal details were made public. It is as if he was held guilty even before giving him a chance to express himself and without a probe.

Singhvi further pointed out that Khera had submitted the prescribed form in 2017 when shifting to the Jangpura area of Delhi.

The poll body subsequently transferred his name to the concerned assembly constituency as per his new address, he stated, alleging that if records were not updated eight years after the request, the fault lies with the Commission.

Singhvi wanted to know why an eight-year-old issue was being raised when Khera was raising questions on the SIR process in Bihar along with other issues against the Election Commission.

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