The SIR is a legitimate process to ensure that only bona fide citizens are on the poll roll, the basic document that lists the electors for the state Assemblies and the Lok Sabha
The Opposition has stalled the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday over the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters’ list in Bihar. There indeed is an issue with Election Commission of India is going ahead with the process which can lead to the removal of a large number of voters from the list but the Opposition’s insistence not to allow the Houses to function will end up as a self-defeating strategy, if one is to go by the experiences of the past.
The SIR is a legitimate process to ensure that only bona fide citizens are on the poll roll, the basic document that lists the electors for the state Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. However, the Bihar exercise was announced with a hectic schedule with the new voters being given hardly a month to present the documents that back up their claim to be on the list. This haste is not all that innocent, according to critics, as the time is insufficient for several genuine voters to meet the requirements. Even the Supreme Court bench hearing the appeals against the SIR commented on the impracticality of the exercise.
The findings of the SIR, as announced by the EC the other day, reinforced the fears of the Opposition. The EC has said 90.67 per cent (7.16 crore) of the total 7.89 crore registered voters have filed their enumeration forms (EFs). While none is likely to object to the removal of 18.66 lakh deceased voters after careful consideration, the case of 26.01 lakh who had shifted constituencies permanently and the 7.5 lakh with duplicate entries can trigger trouble unless handled very carefully. A question mark on the eligibility of over 52 lakh voters in a state, who make up almost 6.62 per cent of the total number of voters, is too big an issue to be treated lightly.
The Opposition will have to take up the issue both legally and politically. The EC being an independent body, at least in principle, the Opposition needs to file a case in court to uphold the rights of the people should they be denied justice. A batch of petitions is already under the consideration of the Supreme Court. The EC being mandated with the conduct of a very important democratic exercise, it will require sold pieces evidence of wrongdoing if the court were to reverse it.
However, the political tangent of the argument, which essentially questions the impartiality of the EC, remains and the Opposition can develop it into a popular political mobilisation if it plays its cards carefully. The government is on record agreeing to debate all contentious issues, including SIR. The Opposition can make its voice heard in and outside Parliament if it allows the Houses to function. Continuous disruption of Parliament would deny it a powerful platform to make its points heard. It must also remember the fact that no amount of disruption of debate interrupts government business. The Opposition must allow Parliament to function instead of causing an important issue to be lost in the din.
