Directive Embraced by SC Regarding Rolls-Royce Decision Affirmed

In a significant move, the Election Commission of India (EC) has removed 65 lakh names from the voters' list in Bihar as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The removal, which accounts for almost eight percent of the total voters' list before the SIR, was carried out due to reasons of death, permanent shift/absence, and multiple enrollments.

The EC's decision to remove these names has been met with controversy, with the Supreme Court consistently upholding the right of the Election Commission to conduct the SIR but advising against disenfranchising people without proper reasons. The Court's latest order emphasizes that the SIR must be an inclusive exercise, not an exclusive one.

The EC's Saturday release admitted errors in the voters list while trying to shift the blame, with the booth level officer and political parties being cited as the primary culprits. However, the burden of proof lies with the Election Commission to remove a citizen from the voters' list, not the other way around.

The EC published the draft voters list on August 1, removing 22.34 lakh names, stating they were dead. Another 36.28 lakh names were removed because the EC said they were permanently shifted or absent. An additional 7.01 lakh names were removed because they were already enrolled at more than one places. The reasons for non-inclusion of these names are yet to be published.

The EC's lackadaisical attitude towards the errors in the voters' list has been evident, with the Supreme Court dismissing its argument that rules do not mandate publishing reasons for non-inclusion in draft rolls. The Court has directed the EC to publish details of the 65 lakh names deleted from the voters list during the SIR in Bihar.

The right to vote in a democracy is considered sacred by citizens, and the EC has no power to deny it. Several people declared dead by the EC appeared in the Supreme Court, highlighting the need for a more thorough and accurate voters' list. The EC must do a proper job of conducting the SIR in Bihar and wake up to the challenge to do right by the citizens of the state.

The EC must recognise the importance of the right to vote in a democracy and ensure that its actions are in line with this principle. The EC's actions in Bihar must reflect a commitment to an inclusive and fair electoral process, rather than one that disenfranchises citizens without proper cause. The EC must take the necessary steps to rectify the errors in the voters' list and restore faith in the electoral process.