Bidar
A joint committee comprising representatives of various political parties, organisations, and community groups has submitted a memorandum urging authorities to carry out voter list revision through Gram Sabha and Ward Committee meetings in Bidar. The memorandum, submitted to the Chief Minister through the Deputy Commissioner, alleges that the recent Special Intensive Revision conducted by the Election Commission of India contains serious discrepancies. It claimed that lakhs of eligible voters have been excluded from the electoral rolls, raising concerns that many may lose their right to vote in upcoming elections.
The committee pointed out that a similar revision process has already begun in Karnataka, and stressed the need for a transparent and comprehensive approach to ensure that no eligible voter is left out. It urged the state government to take immediate steps to address the issue.
Citing the Election Commission’s December 2023 handbook, the memorandum referred to provisions that mandate conducting Gram Sabha and Ward Committee meetings for voter list verification and correction. The committee emphasised that such grassroots-level verification would help prevent wrongful exclusion of eligible voters. Additionally, the memorandum called for preparing electoral rolls for local body elections in coordination with the State Election Commission. It also suggested adopting best practices from other states to strengthen the process.
The committee recommended setting up voter assistance centres in Gram Panchayats and wards on the lines of the West Bengal model. It also proposed providing residence and caste certificates to individuals lacking proper documentation, similar to the Kerala model, to facilitate their inclusion in the voter list. Further, it urged authorities to train Booth Level Officers (BLOs) following the Tamil Nadu model to ensure efficient and timely inclusion of all eligible voters. The committee stressed that safeguarding voting rights is fundamental to democracy and called for urgent corrective measures to ensure a fair and inclusive electoral process.