July 9 strike in Bihar to highlight Special Intensive Revision

New Delhi: The contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will be a focal issue during the general strike-related agitation programmes in Bihar on July 9, even as Opposition parties are planning more protests in various forms in the coming days.

The 10 central trade unions affiliated with Opposition parties have called for a country-wide general strike on July 9 against the implementation of labor codes and “other legitimate demands of the workers, farmers, and people in general”.

Opposition parties have announced support for the strike, and in Bihar, the parties have decided to make the SIR announced by the Election Commission just months ahead of the state elections its focal point, amid fears that it could lead to names being deleted from the electoral rolls.

At an online meeting of the coordination committee of ‘Maha Gadbandhan’ constituents—RJD, Congress, CPI(ML)L among others—in Bihar, sources said SIR and the future course of action was deliberated.

The parties decided to use the strike to raise their voice against the SIR, besides holding agitational programmes in the coming days. With the RJD holding its national council meeting on July 5, followed by some other programmes, the leaders decided that July 9 will be the earliest opportunity for a large-scale protest.

“The strike will be supported by the parties. They will be raising the SIR issue during the strike, as it also impacts migrant workers and the poor. The right to vote is impacted,” CPI(ML)L General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said.

Sources said the parties were of the view that the SIR has to be scrapped and that they should take the protest to the grassroots. They said they have not finalised anything, but a “big, strong” protest needs to be organised.

CPI General Secretary D Raja said the party’s National Council, in its three-day meeting that ended on Thursday, passed a resolution seeking the withdrawal of the SIR. It said conducting the SIR in one or two months is “impractical”.

Forms handed over to 6.86 cr: EC

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have visited 1.5 crore households in Bihar as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and handed over Enumeration Forms to 87%, or 6.86 crore, of 7.89 crore voters by Friday, the Election Commission said.

“Since the BLO shall be visiting three times to the houses of the electors during the exercise, these figures are likely to increase further,” it said in a statement.

Nearly 5% of filled-up and signed forms, which is around 38 lakh forms, have already been received by the BLOs, it said.

“Based on the documents attached or not attached, with the signed Enumeration Form, eligibility verification of each name included in the draft rolls will be done continuously after their receipt. Verification will start vigorously from August 2 onwards after publication of draft electoral rolls,” it said.