Bihar SIR: Anomalies galore in Election Commission's exercise to 'purify' electoral roll

Patna: Amid claims by the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi of massive irregularities in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and counter claims of the Election Commission that the “SIR is an exercise to ‘purify’ the electoral roll”, there appears to be no end in anomalies in the draft electoral list.

Take, for instance, the case of voters’ list in Chapra in North Bihar where a voter (Serial Number 981) at booth number 340 Neha Kumari’s mother's name is: “Election Commission of India Nirmala Devi”.

In the same booth, another voter (serial number 941) is Kumari Shilpi, whose spouse's name has been mentioned as: husband, husband. Incidentally, her house number has been mentioned as: 400180792.

But the comedy of error does not stop here. Yet another voter on booth number 340 is Priyanka Raj (serial number 938) whose father’s name has been mentioned: father voter id card.

Similarly, in the case of voter with serial number 937, Divya Raj, her father’s name has been written as: father father.

The Election Commission says that there are still four days left and any one can apply for claims and corrections till September 1, the last day for rectification in the draft voter list. “We have so far received 1,78,948 applications for claims and objections from electors across the State. This includes Form 8 (meant for correction in name and address) and Form 7 (to delete the names). Our top priority is that no eligible voter is left out and no ineligible voter figures in the voters’ list,” said the EC source.

The EC added that it had requested all the recognised political parties to submit claims and objections. “Only the CPI-ML has filed claims and objections (altogether 53 claims/objections) while the remaining 11 parties: BJP, BSP, AAP, JD (U), INC, RJD, RLJP, RLSP, LJP (RV), CPI, CPM have not filed any claims or objections through their BLAs (booth level agents),” averred the EC source.