A Parliamentary Standing Committee has asked the Election Commission to ensure that no genuine elector is excluded from the voters’ lists or subjected to undue hardship during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which has concluded in many States and will begin in others soon.
SIR and the annihilation of rights
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice in its report tabled in Parliament this week, has said that the revision of electoral rolls should be carried out in a fair, transparent and inclusive manner. It has sought adequate safeguards for vulnerable sections, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, economically weaker sections, and migrant populations.
SIR: Tamil Nadu’s urban areas record higher reduction in number of voters than rural ones
The committee’s recommendations come even as political parties in many States such as West Bengal have raised questions about the entire process and made allegations that the names of many genuine voters were deleted. While the SIR process has been completed in 11 States and Union Territories, the EC has asked 22 other States to begin preparations for the exercise.
