Tejashwi Questions Transparency Of SIR, Says Credibility Of ECI At Stake

Patna: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday questioned the transparency of the Special Incentive Revision (SIR) process being conducted by the Election Commission in the state.

Addressing mediapersons here along with other leaders of Mahagathbandhan, he said SIR forms being given to people through BLO are being submitted with just signatures without any documents. The RJD leader played a video in which jalebis are being sold on the forms in Deoghar.

Tejashwi said the Election Commission has claimed that 80.11 per cent of voters have filled the forms but it has not clarified whether the forms have been verified, voluntarily and legally filled. It is being continuously reported at the ground level (field) that forms are being uploaded by BLOs by putting fake thumbprints or signatures without the knowledge and consent of the voters.

The Leader of Opposition said that the press release of the Election Commission states that the documents can be submitted later as well but no clear order or notification has been issued in this regard so far. Despite the Supreme Court's advice to ensure flexibility in submission of documents, the Election Commission has not issued any formal revised notification, due to which both BLOs and voters on the ground level are confused, he said.

Tejashwi said if even one per cent of voters are left out, at least 7,90,000 votes will be affected. The names of around 3,251 voters will be deleted from each Assembly constituency. Referring to the 2020 elections, he said RJD, which lost by 5,000 votes, had won 52 seats. If the average of one per cent voters' names are deleted is added, then 3,200 people are likely to be deleted from each constituency, he said.

Tejashwi said the Election Commission has not even clarified how many of the 4.66 crore digitized forms have been verified with Aadhaar. He alleged that the participation of political parties has been mentioned by the Election Commission but it was not told whether they have been given the role of actual inspection or only the information on their presence is being recorded? In many districts, BLAs of opposition parties have not been informed but prevented from actively participating in the process. No cognizance has been taken on this, he said.

"The way voter forms are being uploaded in a hurry is destroying the credibility of the Election Commission. There have been many reports of BLOs and EROs imposing informal targets for uploading. The Commission has not given any clarification, denial or control measure on this, due to which the entire campaign has become non-transparent," the RJD leader rued.

Raising questions on the digitization of the process, Tejashwi said that claims of success have been made in the Election Commission's website but serious technical problems like server down, OTP problems, login error, document upload failure and wrong mapping are being reported at the ground level. "Technical complaints are being ignored. No support system, ticketing portal or helpline has been made available to BLOs or voters," he alleged.

Tejashwi said SIR is just an eyewash. He said since the deadline of uploading the forms is July 25, emphasis is on numbers and speed instead of quality and validity. "It seems that the SIR process of the Election Commission is an eyewash. The Election Commission has already manipulated the booth data on the instructions of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but we are keeping an eye on every voter and we have everyone's data," he said.

Tejashwi said the ruling party should not make the mistake of replicating Gujarat in Bihar. "Bihar is the mother of democracy. We will teach a lesson and will not let the democratic process weaken. Here 90 per cent of the voters are from the deprived and neglected class. You can snatch their bread but not their right to vote," he said.

The former Deputy Chief Minister urged the Election Commission to display live dashboard everyday, Assembly wise, to to ensure transparency in data. "We had demanded that the voter should be given an acknowledgement on filling the counting form but this is not happening," he said.

Tejashwi said the Election Commission claims that two copies are being given to every voter. One is filled and taken back and the other remains with the voter as an acknowledgement. "The ground reality is that most voters have been given only one counting form. No one is being given an acknowledgement or receipt, due to which the voter is not able to prove whether his/her form has been accepted or not", he said.

Tejashwi said that the Election Commission's claim of every BLO contacting the voters thrice remains only on paper. BLOs have not reached out to most voters. "This is against the basic spirit of transparency and accountability. The BLOs have been given verbal orders by the higher authorities to meet the target by July 25 at any cost, whether voters are found or not," he alleged.

On being told that as per the Election Commission's sources, people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have become voters in Bihar, he said the poll panel is planting news citing sources so that it can play games under its cover.

Apart from Tejashwi, Congress state president Rajesh Ram, Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan, VIP supremo Mukesh Sahni, CPI (ML)'s Dhirendra Kumar Jha, CPI's Lalan Chaudhary and CPM's Rambabu Prasad were present in the joint press conference.

Also Read

Bihar Polls: 'Why Form New Party?,' Tej Pratap Supports Tejashwi's CM Bid Amid Family Rift

Bandh Against SIR By INDIA Alliance Throws Life Out Of Gear In Bihar