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Election Commission Addresses Voter Roll Issues

On Saturday, the Election Commission stated that any political parties or individuals with issues regarding previously prepared electoral rolls should have raised these concerns during the designated claims and objections period.

The commission did not specify any particular political party or individual in its announcement.

It emphasized that if any issues with the voter rolls had been reported promptly through the appropriate channels, any legitimate errors could have been rectified by the electoral registration officer or sub-divisional magistrate.

According to the commission, it appears that certain political parties and their representatives did not review the electoral rolls in a timely manner and failed to report any discrepancies to the relevant authorities.

On August 7, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that his party had dedicated six months to scrutinizing the electoral rolls in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, uncovering discrepancies involving over one lakh names.

He accused the Election Commission of colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party based on these findings.

In its recent statement, the commission noted that concerns are now being raised outside the established process.

It clarified that after the draft electoral rolls are published, both digital and physical copies are made available to all political parties and are also accessible on the Election Commission's website. A full month is allotted for electors and political parties to submit claims and objections before the final rolls are published.

The commission further explained that after the final electoral rolls are released, there is a two-tiered appeal process available.

Electoral rolls are subject to an annual summary revision, with a qualifying date of January 1, marking when individuals turn 18 and become eligible to vote. Draft rolls are released, followed by a claims and objections period lasting several weeks, allowing parties and voters to contest any inclusions or exclusions. The final rolls are published by January 31, providing multiple opportunities each year for scrutiny and corrections through established legal procedures.

While the commission did not specify, it is likely that these rolls were the focus of its statement.

Additionally, the commission announced a press conference scheduled for 3 pm on Sunday.

This press conference will coincide with the Congress party's statewide protest in Bihar, which is set to address alleged voter fraud during the special intensive revision of voter rolls, resulting in the exclusion of approximately 65 lakh names from the draft list.