Farooq Abdullah Criticizes Bihar Electoral Roll Revision as “Anti-Constitutional

Rapid Summary

• Farooq Abdullah, National Conference President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, criticized the election Commission’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it “anti-Constitutional.”
• According to Abdullah, over 1.50 crore Biharis working outside the state will face challenges in enrollment due to logistical issues like certificates for deceased parents and access to forms.
• He alleged that the revision violates constitutional voting rights established under B.R. Ambedkar’s framework and accused the EC of pleasing political masters.
• He warned that if implemented without proper safeguards, there coudl be large-scale agitation against this move.
• The Election Commission cited reasons like urbanization,frequent migration,inclusion of foreign illegal immigrants on voter rolls,non-reporting of deaths,and young citizens becoming eligible as necessitating this revision.
• This type of revision last occurred in Bihar in 2003; elections are expected later this year.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The concerns raised by Farooq Abdullah about disenfranchisement during the special Intensive Revision highlight broader challenges involved with updating electoral rolls on such a scale. Management hurdles-such as reaching migrant populations or ensuring fair access-pose legitimate risks regarding exclusion from voting rights. However, arguments from the Election Commission citing urbanization trends and irregularities in voter lists underscore its attempt at improving openness-a critical component for maintaining trust in democratic processes.

Given ancient unrest surrounding electoral reforms in India’s politically active regions like Bihar-and fallout risks highlighted by Mr.Abdullah-the execution must balance precision with inclusivity while minimizing disruptions ahead of upcoming elections. The stakes are notably high given India’s commitment to worldwide suffrage enshrined constitutionally since independence.

Read more: Keep it simple: Editorial on Special Intensive Revision