Congress flags irregularities in Bihar SIR, alleges deletions exceed past victory margins
Congress alleges irregularities in Bihar's SIR, claiming voter deletions in some seats exceed previous victory margins and questioning ECI's impartiality.
The Congress on Saturday raised concerns over the final voters' list in Bihar following the completion of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging multiple irregularities and claiming that in some assembly constituencies the number of deleted voters exceeds the victory margin of the previous election.
In a post on X, party general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of functioning as a "puppet" in the hands of the ruling party and said the exercise was carried out to benefit the BJP and its allies. He described the poll body as the "B-team" of the BJP and said it should act impartially.
Citing a news report, Mr. Ramesh claimed that 247 voters were listed in a single household in Jamui and that one person's name appeared three times at the same booth. He said such anomalies in the final roll showed the ECI had disregarded clear Supreme Court orders.
"The Election Commission has orchestrated the entire SIR drama at the behest of the BJP," Mr. Ramesh said, adding that claims of reforms in the final SIR were proving wrong and that reports from across Bihar confirmed the process was designed to give political advantage to the BJP and its allies.
He asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to explain how 247 voters were found in one household and why a single name appeared multiple times at the same booth, and whether the commission would remain silent as before. He said the ECI's "lax functioning and politically biased policies" were harming India's democracy and its international image.