Congress Raises Concerns Over Voter Roll Irregularities in Maharashtra
A Congress delegation has presented evidence to the Maharashtra CEO, alleging issues in the Special Intensive Revision process affecting voter eligibility.
Congress claims irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The party demands an extension of the SIR deadline for voter responses.
Protests were held against the Election Commission's handling of the SIR process.
On October 19, a delegation from the Congress party met with Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, S Chockalingam, to voice serious concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Congress representatives argued that the SIR process is overly complicated and may exclude eligible voters, thereby undermining the electoral process. Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad emphasized that these issues could disenfranchise citizens, calling for immediate attention to rectify the situation.
During the meeting, Gaikwad accused the ruling party of manipulating the SIR process by allegedly deleting names from the voter list. She stated that the Congress has provided evidence of these irregularities and insisted that strict measures be taken against those responsible for these actions. The delegation raised specific complaints about the functioning of booth-level officers (BLOs) during the SIR exercise, claiming that they were not performing their duties adequately.
Gaikwad further expressed concerns about the integrity of the Election Commission, urging that no eligible voter should be deprived of their voting rights. She mentioned that Chockalingam assured the delegation that the Election Commission would address these issues and issue a notification regarding the complaints. The Congress party is advocating for an extension of the SIR deadline, arguing that voters need more time to respond to any objections raised against their registrations.
The delegation included several prominent Congress figures, such as former ministers Aslam Shaikh and Naseem Khan, as well as MLAs Amin Patel and Jyoti Gaikwad. They collectively demanded an immediate halt to what they termed an unconstitutional process, insisting that all wrongfully deleted voters be reinstated on the electoral rolls.
In a related protest, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) burned an effigy of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, criticizing the Election Commission for its handling of the SIR process. This demonstration, held at the IYC headquarters, featured performances aimed at highlighting alleged electoral manipulation. IYC national president Uday Bhanu Chib stated that the youth would not tolerate compromises on democratic values, emphasizing the need for accountability from the Election Commission.
