Constitution Of India Is Supreme: ECI Amid Criticism From Opposition On SIR In Poll-Bound Bihar

New Delhi: Amid criticism from Congress and Trinamool Congress over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday categorically said that the Constitution of India is supreme.

The poll panel stated that SIR has started successfully in Bihar for verifying the eligibility of each elector with full participation of all political parties. On June 24, the ECI had issued instructions for SIR in Bihar as per the guidelines and schedule specified by it.

The objective of an intensified revision is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll (ER) so as to enable them to exercise their franchise, no ineligible voter is included in the electoral rolls and also to introduce complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the electoral rolls. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in the year 2003, as per the poll panel.

Various reasons such as rapid urbanization, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision so as to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls, it said.

"The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties and the ECI follow the Constitution. SIR has already started successfully in Bihar for verifying the eligibility of each elector with full participation of all political parties," the ECI said on Saturday. All recognised national and state political parties who are registered with ECI have also already appointed 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAs). They can still appoint more BLAS, it said.

Pointing out that Article 326 specifies eligibility to become an elector, the poll panel said, "Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary resident in that constituency, are eligible."

"ECI already has 77,895 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and is appointing nearly 20,603 more BLOs for new polling stations. More than one lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor and other vulnerable groups during the SIR," it said.

The ECI informed that printing as well as door-to-door distribution of new Enumeration Forms (EF) for all the existing 7,89,69,844 electors of Bihar has already started in each of the 243 Assembly constituencies of Bihar. Online filling of the new EFs has already been enabled and has also started successfully.

"Out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of electoral roll on 01.01.2003, have to simply verify so, fill the EF and submit it," it said.

The poll panel said all Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates are engaging all the BLOs full time during the SIR. "SMSes are also being sent to the 5,74,07,022 registered mobile numbers of Bihar. All activities relating to SIR are progressing well as per schedule," it said.

Earlier, the Congress' Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE), in a statement said that "SIR of electoral rolls carries a huge risk of willful exclusion of voters using the power of the state machinery". Assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled to be held at the end of this year.

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