Top News

New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI) The Election Commission on Monday issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in the polls slated later this year.

Amid allegations of voter data being fudged to help the BJP, the exercise also introduces complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the rolls. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in 2003.

The Election Commission said multiple reasons such as rapid urbanisation, 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 the revision to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls.

Booth-level officers will conduct house-to-house survey for verification during the intensive revision process.

While conducting the special revision, EC will scrupulously adhere to the constitutional and legal provisions regarding eligibility to be registered as a voter and disqualifications for registration in an electoral roll which are clearly laid down in Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, respectively, the poll authority said.