“Will The ECI Provide Train Tickets For Migrants?” — Manoj Jha Slams Bihar Voter Drive As “Dark Spell For Democracy”
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RJD MP Manoj Jha has moved the Supreme Court docket in opposition to the ECI’s Bihar voter listing revision, alleging mass disenfranchisement of marginalised teams. He known as the rushed course of exclusionary and a menace to democracy.
New Delhi: At this time, on July 7, the Election Fee of India (ECI) is dealing with heavy criticism from Opposition leaders over its ongoing revision of the voter listing in Bihar.
The method, generally known as the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR), has grow to be controversial particularly because the state prepares for meeting elections later this yr.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi had earlier described the voter listing course of because the “actual delicate underbelly” of the ECI.
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Now, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha has approached the Supreme Court docket, alleging that the brand new course of is resulting in the removing of enormous numbers of voters, particularly from marginalised communities.
The Supreme Court docket will quickly hear 5 petitions, together with these filed by Manoj Jha, Mahua Moitra, Yogendra Yadav, and the Affiliation for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
The petitions problem the legality and timing of the voter listing revision and declare it’s being completed in a rushed and non-transparent approach.
That is the primary such intensive voter revision drive in Bihar since 2003. Mr. Jha instructed NDTV that this whole train appears like a menace to democracy.
He stated,
“It is a darkish spell for democracy,”
He additional questioned the sudden urgency of the method, saying,
“Why was this train not undertaken within the final 22 years? What consultations have been held with political events? Did the ECI conduct any feasibility examine?”
He criticised the dearth of public and political dialogue across the course of, including that many Biharis work in different states and should not be capable of confirm their voter particulars throughout the monsoon season.
Mr. Jha stated,
“Are you assuming a Bihari working in Surat is a voter of Surat? I bought my Delhi voter identification card solely after 15 years, regardless of holding a Bihar voter card all through,”
In keeping with the ECI, kinds have been distributed to 87 per cent of voters, however solely 14.18 per cent had submitted them by July 5. This raised critical considerations about attainable mass disenfranchisement.
Mr. Jha argued that the method is flawed and unfair, particularly since generally held paperwork like Aadhaar and ration playing cards usually are not being accepted as legitimate ID proofs.
He added,
“Within the monsoon season, with huge migration and widespread documentation points, that is an exclusionary and non-inclusive course of,”
citing rural areas like Seemanchal and Nalanda as examples.
The ADR has warned that just about three crore voters — notably from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and migrant teams — could not have the paperwork required for this verification.
Mr. Jha rejected the ECI’s declare of transparency and criticised its lack of engagement with opposition voices.
He stated,
“It’s a monologue, not a dialogue,”
Mr. Jha additionally identified that the timeline for finishing this revision — simply 25 days — is unrealistic and harmful for voter rights.
He warned,
“With solely four-five volunteers per sales space, has the ECI checked their backgrounds? In elections the place margins are 4,000-5,000 votes, even just a few deletions can change the result,”
He additionally recalled points with postal ballots within the 2020 Bihar elections that stay unresolved.
To make the method extra inclusive, the RJD has advised permitting Aadhaar playing cards as legitimate proof and giving extra time for verification.
Mr. Jha harassed that the Supreme Court docket, in its 1995 ruling in Lal Babu Hussein vs Electoral Registration Officer, had clarified that
“the burden of proving citizenship lies with the State.”
He additionally alleged that the timing of the SIR, throughout the tough monsoon season and solely months after a earlier voter listing revision, appears politically motivated.
He requested,
“The ECI claims it’s together with younger voters and eradicating ghost voters or unlawful migrants, however the place’s the proof? Why rush this in 25 days except there’s a pre-verified listing with official stamps?”
Including that individuals are dropping religion within the ECI, Mr. Jha remarked:
“The ECI should maintain a press convention and fulfill public considerations. Talking by means of unnamed ‘sources’ isn’t what a constitutional physique does.”
His petition seeks to cease the SIR course of altogether. He’s hopeful that the Supreme Court docket will intervene.
He added,
“Will the ECI present practice tickets for migrants? A minimum of reserve sleeper class? There’s an entire lack of information of floor realities,”
Mr. Jha additionally touched upon the current homicide of businessman Gopal Khemka, criticising the Bihar authorities’s failure to keep up legislation and order.
He stated,
“This was not an remoted incident. Hardly a day passes with out experiences of dacoity, homicide, or rape in Bihar. That is greater than a breakdown of legislation and order – it’s a collapse of governance,”
He questioned the position of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the central authorities.
He requested,
“Are BJP and Nitish Kumar companions in governance or companions in crime?”
calling for stronger police accountability and sooner judicial processes.
He concluded,
“At this time, as a substitute of the rule of legislation, we’re seeing the rule of criminals in Bihar,”
Commenting on the growing communal polarisation, Mr. Jha criticised the current requires a “Hindu Rashtra” made by some public figures.
He stated,
“Plurality is the muse of our existence, of [BR] Ambedkar’s imaginative and prescient. Communal polarisation goes in opposition to the spirit of the Structure. We should not give legitimacy to such divisive agendas,”
He urged individuals to deal with actual points comparable to unemployment and healthcare as a substitute of divisive non secular rhetoric.
He additionally condemned incidents of violence associated to language and cultural identification, such because the assault on a shopkeeper in Maharashtra for not talking Marathi.
He stated,
“These unaware of historical past ought to keep in mind the struggling of the Sixties. It was by means of dialogue that we emerged from that section, however now we’re going backwards, combating over language, faith, meals habits, and imagined threats,”
In keeping with Mr. Jha, languages needs to be seen as a approach to convey individuals collectively.
He stated,
“Languages are a bond of sisterhood,”
stressing that these cultural hyperlinks are saved alive by the individuals and never the federal government. He additionally criticised the state for its weak response in such circumstances.
“The state’s lenient response – detaining and rapidly bailing out perpetrators – displays a troubling political silence.”
In conclusion, Mr. Jha stated the RJD will maintain combating in courtroom to cease the SIR and save the democratic rights of voters in Bihar.
He stated,
“Disenfranchisement on this scale can critically injury democracy,”
He urged the ECI to behave with extra openness and duty, and demanded higher governance and legislation enforcement from the Bihar authorities.
He warned,
“Our nation can’t afford to regress,”
underlining the significance of unity and constitutional values in these tough occasions.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Disenfranchisement
