Electoral Officers Crucial for Voter Inclusion in Bihar Without Key Documents

Quick Summary

• Controversy persists in Bihar over valid documents for voter registration during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
• Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), appointed under Section 13B of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, hold discretionary power to decide voter inclusion/exclusion based on field verification and reports from Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
• Alternative documents, such as oaths from parents, village heads, and physical examination by BLOs, can be used when official documentation is unavailable.
• EROs admit challenges when dealing with voters lacking any of the 11 specified documents for SIR registration. Solutions include domicile certificates or community-level verification by Panchayat heads.
• Opposition parties raise concerns about potential bias since EROs are State government officials who might be influenced by political affiliations. RJD MP Manoj K. Jha warns this could undermine due process laws.
• The Election Commission reported that over 4.5 crore enumeration forms have been collected in two weeks-57% of Bihar’s electorate of 7.9 crore.