Bihar electoral roll revision: Meeting between I.N.D.I.A. bloc, EC deferred

New Delhi: A meeting between I.N.D.I.A. parties and the Election Commission (EC) officials on the Special Intensive Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in Bihar on Wednesday has been 'deferred', due to a lack of confirmation from the parties, sources said.

EC sources said the legal counsel of the Congress had sent an email on behalf of 'many parties' on June 30 seeking an 'urgent' appointment with the EC to discuss the SIR and suggested 5 pm on July 2 for the meeting.

The EC sought confirmation from these parties for the meeting, but it has not received any confirmation so far, sources said.

Sources from the Opposition said I.N.D.I.A. leaders would 'soon' meet the EC on the issue.

The EC had asked to provide the names of the designated persons representing the party.

Soon after the EC announced on June 24 that the SIR in Bihar would start a day later, the Opposition parties were up in arms against the move, questioning the timing as it came just months ahead of the Assembly elections. The parties also likened it to an NRC-like (National Register of Citizens) exercise while claiming that a large number of people could lose their right to vote.

In a statement, the Congress 'firmly' opposed the SIR, calling it a 'devious and dubious idea'.