Officials can also rely on field inquiry for inclusion of names in Bihar rolls: EC

NEW DELHI: Amid claims and counter-claims implicit the peculiar intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls, Election Commission officials said Sunday that the canvass panel's guidelines, issued connected June 24, let electors to adhd documents aft submitting their enumeration forms, till July 25 and adjacent during the 'claims and objections' period.

Besides, electoral registration officers tin trust connected tract enquiry oregon alternate impervious - beyond the 11 documents listed by EC for citizenship - to determine connected an elector's inclusion. The list, a root said, is "indicative and not exhaustive".

11 documents specified to beryllium eligibility indicative: EC Official

EROs (electoral registration officers) are empowered nether the instrumentality to instrumentality a telephone connected what documents, different than those specifically mentioned, tin beryllium taken into account, the root said.They, however, clarified that Aadhaar whitethorn inactive not beryllium accepted arsenic an alternate document, since it is simply a impervious of individuality - defining that the 10 fingerprints, iris and photograph beryllium to the idiosyncratic successful whose sanction Aadhaar is issued - and does not found that person's citizenship oregon day of birth."SIR is being conducted arsenic per the instructions issued by EC connected June 24, 2025. There is nary alteration successful the instructions. Draft electoral rotation that volition beryllium issued connected Aug 1, 2025, volition incorporate the names of persons whose enumeration forms are received by July 25.

The electors tin taxable their documents immoderate clip earlier July 25. After work of draught roll, if immoderate papers is deficient, EROs tin get specified documents from electors whose sanction appears successful the draught rotation during scrutiny successful the 'claims and objections' period," CEC Gyanesh Kumar told TOI connected Sunday.Importantly, a elder EC functionary clarified that the database of 11 documents specified by EC to beryllium one's eligibility for inclusion successful the rotation - arsenic per Article 326 of the Constitution and provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 - is indicative and not exhaustive, and that the ERO has powers nether the instrumentality to fulfill himself astir the eligibility of a idiosyncratic to beryllium enrolled arsenic an elector connected the ground of immoderate different papers oregon section enquiry if helium deems fit.

However, the ERO indispensable marque a "speaking order", signaling successful penning the reasons for specified inclusion oregon exclusion. Even the ERO's determination is taxable to a two-stage appellate process aft work of last roll, archetypal astatine the level of territory magistrate and past the main electoral serviceman (CEO).A speechmaking of the SIR guidelines dated June 24 confirms this. The substance supra the database of 11 documents mentioned successful the declaration signifier to beryllium signed by the elector not included successful Bihar's 2003 electoral rotation intelligibly states that the database is "indicative (not exhaustive)"."The advertisement (issued by Bihar main electoral serviceman successful immoderate newspapers connected Sunday) is successful conformity with the SIR instructions issued by EC connected June 24," the CEC told TOI.Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge connected Sunday accused BJP of conspiring to deprive the radical of Bihar of their elector rights done the SIR. People volition surely respond to "this BJP onslaught connected ideology and the Constitution successful the upcoming assembly elections", helium said.

Citing the advertisement, helium alleged that "when the unit from the opposition, the public, and civilian nine increased, EC hurriedly published advertisements, which authorities that present lone a signifier needs to beryllium filled, and showing documents is not necessary".The EC's clarification came adjacent arsenic astir 1.7 crore enumeration forms, accounting for 21.5% of Bihar's electorate, are already collected and implicit 7.2% uploaded connected ECINET.Meanwhile, responding to the disapproval directed astatine EC for rushing with the SIR without anterior consultation with governmental parties, CEC Kumar said, "During the past 4 months, each 4,123 EROs, each 775 territory predetermination officers and each 36 CEOs person held astir 5,000 meetings with 28,000 governmental enactment representatives. EC has besides invited each recognised governmental parties for interaction. No 1 was satisfied with the existent presumption of electoral rolls for 1 crushed oregon the other.

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