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The Commission has clarified that a special voter list revision will be done before the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. Political turmoil has already begun there before that. Watch accurate analysis with veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash
Bihar voter list controversy
Patna: There is a ruckus over the voter list before the Bihar elections. Assembly elections are to be held in Bihar at the end of this year, but political turmoil has started there even before that. This ruckus is not about any political statement or alliance, but is directly related to the common voters, which is considered to be the most basic link of democracy - the voter list.
Senior journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash did an accurate analysis in his popular show 'The MTA Speaks'. At the root of the controversy is the recent decision of the Election Commission of India, in which it has been announced to adopt the 22-year-old voter list of the year 2003 as the base list for revision and to upload it publicly on the official website of the Commission. The purpose of this step, according to the commission, is to identify fake voters, remove names of the same person registered at more than one place and clean up dead, migrant or inactive voters. But this technical action has now taken a big political color.
Sharp reactions are coming from political parties, social organizations and election analysts. The issue is not just technical, it is also related to political and social balance.
First of all, let's talk about the intention of the Election Commission. The Commission has clarified that a special voter list revision will be done before the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. Under this, the voter list of the year 2003 will be considered as the reference base.
The commission argues that this was the last list, which was prepared completely through manual public relations. At that time, the verification of voters was done by going to each house, knocking on the door. Before the digital system came, it is considered the most reliable and authentic document. That is why now the process of amendment is being carried out by combining it with the current list. According to the commission, this process will make the voter list more transparent, error-free and reliable. But the question arises that if the objective is good, then why is there so much opposition?
Many political parties and leaders have strongly objected to this decision. Opposition parties say that the 2003 voter list was socially unbalanced. At that time, the names of minorities, Dalits and backward classes were registered in relatively less numbers. Therefore, if the same list is made the basis, then there is a possibility of the names of these sections being removed on a large scale.
Another major argument is that in the last two decades, there has been a huge change in the social and geographical structure of Bihar. There has been large-scale internal and external migration. Lakhs of people have gone from villages to cities and other states outside Bihar for employment and education. But many of them still remain voters of their native villages and return to vote at the time of elections. The 2003 list neither properly registers these sections nor reflects today's socio-economic reality. Political parties also allege that making the 22-year-old list the basis could be a well-planned strategy to deprive particular communities of voting rights. This can create social imbalance and also violate democratic rights.
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has directly questioned the intentions of the Election Commission. He termed it a political conspiracy and expressed apprehension that this could cut the votes of minorities and poor sections. He says that the Commission's talk of completing this process in just 25 days raises suspicion. Tejashwi Yadav has demanded the Election Commission to reconsider this decision.
In the same sequence, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi made even more serious allegations and said that the Election Commission is secretly implementing NRC in Bihar. Owaisi's question is that if the names of those who were not in the 2003 list are removed now, then it would be a challenge to the right to citizenship. On the other hand, the ruling BJP has supported this move of the Election Commission. They argue that this will identify fake voters, eliminate duplication and strengthen the roots of democracy. The BJP says that the objections of the opposition are baseless and every effort to bring transparency should be welcomed. NDA ally JDU has also expressed confidence in the Commission's intentions, but has also said that it is very important that no valid voter is left out in this process. They say that transparency is a good thing, but inclusiveness is an even bigger need.
Election analysts are also divided on this issue. Some consider it a necessary step towards cleaning and purifying the voter list, while some experts consider it a regressive step in the era of Digital India. They argue that when the entire voter system is being made more modern and transparent through Aadhaar, mobile, e-KYC, and digital platforms, then making a 22-year-old manual list the basis is not only technically counterproductive, but also a blow to the democratic process. Now if we talk about the figures, there are currently about 7.3 crore voters in Bihar. In the 2003 list, this number was about 5.3 crore. That is, more than 2 crore voters have been added to the list in the last two decades. If the comparison is made on the basis of 2003, then these 2 crore voters have been added to the list.
It will become mandatory to re-verify the names of the missing people. And if there is any lapse in this, the names of lakhs of people may disappear from the voter list.
Migrant labourers, students, tenants, women voters — these are the groups whose situation is considered to be the most sensitive. Especially those women who are married and have moved, their names not being in the new list or being at the old address can become a big problem. Also, in a state like Bihar, where the political temperature of every election is high, this issue has become even more sensitive.
Another question arises whether this process will be limited to Bihar only? Or does the Commission want to try it as a nationwide model? If so, then the transparency of this decision, its process and public dialogue become even more important.
Cleansing the voter list may be necessary, but its process should be such in which transparency, technical efficiency and public participation are present in equal measure. Removing a voter from the list is not a trivial task — it directly affects his constitutional right. Without any prior notice, without physical verification, if someone's name is deleted, it will be a direct blow to democracy. Therefore, the Commission is expected to carry forward this process with utmost sensitivity, fairness and a fair approach."
