Ramesh highlighted voter irregularities, including 247 voters in one household and duplicate names, demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar explain persistence despite SIR process
New Delhi
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of irregularities in Bihar’s final electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He claimed the process was manipulated to favour the ruling BJP, calling the ECI the BJP’s “B-team.”
Ramesh cited cases where 247 voters were listed in one household and a single person’s name appeared three times in the same booth. He questioned why such irregularities persisted despite the SIR process, demanding an explanation from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Posting on X, he said, “Reports from across Bihar confirm the SIR was designed to benefit BJP and its allies. Many deletions in the voter list exceed victory margins from earlier elections. This undermines democracy and the Election Commission’s credibility.”
The Congress leader added that about 47 lakh voters were deleted after the SIR, reducing Bihar’s final electoral roll to 7.42 crore from 7.89 crore electors in June. The ECI said 65 lakh names were removed from the draft, with 21.53 lakh additions, leaving a total of 7.42 crore voters.
Ramesh criticised the Election Commission for lacking impartiality and urged it to ensure transparency. “The Election Commission belongs to the nation, not to a political party,” he said, warning that lax functioning could harm India’s democratic image.
The Bihar polls, scheduled soon, will now proceed based on the revised list, amid growing political controversy over its fairness.
