'Lalu-Nitish rule turned entire Bihar into a labourers' state': Prashant Kishor
Bhojpur, Bihar | On Election Commission allotting 'school bag' as the common election symbol to Jan Suraaj for upcoming Bihar Elections, party founder Prashant Kishor says, "The only way to end poverty, illiteracy and unemployment in Bihar is education. The last 30-35 years of Lalu-Nitish rule have turned the entire Bihar into a labourers' state. The children here were forced to carry sacks on their backs. Jan Suraaj's ideology is that the children of Bihar will not carry sacks on their backs, but will carry school bags, study, get jobs, and live a good life. We thank the Election Commission."
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The Hindu
26 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Bihar begins Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls; 2.93 crore voters asked to produce proof of birth date and place
Almost 2.93 crore voters in Bihar must produce documents establishing the date and place of their own birth as well as of their parents in the case of those born after 1987, as a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the State's electoral rolls began on Saturday (June 28, 2025). The Election Commission of India (ECI) said that it has decided to start the SIR exercise across the whole country, starting with Bihar, with schedules for this to be issued separately. The last such intensive revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003, with January 1, 2003 as the qualifying date. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar told The Hindu that the exercise was a proud moment for all Indians but Opposition parties are up in arms against the SIR, which they have branded as more dangerous than the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Also Read | Move to bring NRC through backdoor: TMC on EC's special intensive revision of electoral roll Proof of voter eligibility State government officials began distributing enumeration forms to all registered voters on Saturday (June 28, 2025). The SIR exercise began on June 25 with the printing of the forms, and is scheduled to end on September 30 with the publication of the updated voter rolls. Bihar has 7,89,69,844 electors, of which the names of 4.96 crore were already present in the electoral rolls when the last SIR was carried out in 2003. These electors just have to verify themselves by filling the enumeration forms and submitting them. However, the ECI's guidelines say that anyone whose name was not recorded in the 2003 electoral rolls must establish their eligibility to be an elector and submit proof using a wide range of eligible government documents. For those born before July 1, 1987, any document establishing their own date and place of birth must be submitted. For younger people born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004, documents must be submitted to prove their own date and place of birth along with either one of their parents. For those born after December 2, 2004, the proofs of place and date of birth have to be given for themselves and both their parents. Also Read | AIMIM raises concerns over Election Commission's special intensive revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar 'Threat of disenfranchisement' ECI sources said the poll body already has 77,895 booth-level officers (BLOs) and is appointing nearly 20,603 more for new polling stations. More than one lakh volunteers will assist genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor, and other vulnerable groups during the SIR. 'Proud moment for all Indians. Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters,' CEC Gyanesh Kumar told The Hindu. Opposition parties, however, have made widespread allegations of electoral roll tampering. Almost all of them have protested the SIR, asserting that it poses a serious threat of disenfranchisement. 'Backdoor NRC' 'It is a sinister move to bring NRC through the backdoor. In 1935, under the Nazis (in Germany), you were supposed to be given an ancestor pass... Is this the new version of that Nazi ancestor pass?' Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said. 'Why is this exercise being suddenly done right now? We have evidence as to why it is being done now. It is because the latest internal survey of the BJP for Bengal shows 46 to 49 seats for the party in the State's [upcoming] Assembly polls. In their desperation to attempt to change things you do such things,' he claimed. On Friday (June 27, 2025), the Congress had said the exercise carries a huge risk of wilful exclusion of voters, using the power of the state machinery.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
As per mandate under the Article 326 of the Constitution, EC has started the process of Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in Bihar
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): The Election Commission has started its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to verify the eligibility of electors in each constituency ahead of Bihar elections, fulfilling its mandate under Article 326 of the Constitution, according to an official statement from the poll panel. 'Article 326 specifies eligibility to become an elector. Only Indian citizens aged 18 years and above, and ordinary residents in that constituency, are eligible. Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has already started successfully in Bihar for verifying the eligibility of each elector with full participation of all Political Parties,' the EC's statement read. More than one Lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the elderly, the sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), the poor, and other vulnerable groups during the SIR, said the EC. Notably, the printing and door-to-door distribution of new Enumeration Forms (EF) for the existing more than 7.8 crore electors of Bihar has already started in the 243 Assembly Constituencies. 'Online filling of the new Enumeration Forms (EFs) has already been enabled and has also started successfully. Out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 Crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of Electoral Roll on 01.01.2003, have to simply verify so, fill the Enumeration Form and submit it,' EC said. The EC said that out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 Crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of the Electoral Roll on January 1, 2003, have to simply verify it by filling the Enumeration form and submitting it. The Poll panel has already appointed 77,895 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and will appoint an additional 20,603 BLOs for new polling stations. All recognised National and state political parties registered with the ECI have also appointed 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAs). They can still appoint more BLAs. All Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates are engaging all the BLOs full-time during the SIR. Additionally, SMSs are also being sent to the 5,74,07,022 registered mobile numbers of Bihar, with all activities regarding the SIR progressing as scheduled. Earlier, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien criticised the EC for conducting an SIR, claiming that the poll panel is trying to 'bring the NRC in from the back door,' referring to the controversial National Register of Citizens against which there were multiple protests a few years ago. The TMC MP said, 'The EC (Election Commission) is trying to bring the NRC in from the back door. In 1935 under the Nazis, you were supposed to be given an ancestor pass. Some proof of paper to show that you are an Indian citizen is this the new version of that Nazi Ancestor Pass?... All the INDIA bloc parties will take this up in and outside Parliament.' AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has also accused the EC of trying to implement the NRC in Bihar, and warned that this could stop many rightful Indian citizens from voting and harm public trust in the Election Commission ahead of elections. (ANI)
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
2.93 crore Bihar electors will have to establish citizenship to vote this year
The Election Commission (EC), which began its 'special intensive revision' of Bihar's electoral rolls this week, said on Saturday that out of the total 7.89 crore electors in the state, 4.96 crore, who were on the rolls as on January 1, 2003, only have to fill and submit the new enumeration form. This means that the remaining 2.93 crore or about 37 per cent of the electors will have to submit documents establishing citizenship, in addition to the form, to remain on the rolls, as per the EC order issued on June 24. 'Out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of Electoral Roll on 01.01.2003, have to simply verify so, fill the Enumeration Form and submit it,' the EC said in a statement on Saturday. Unlike the usual revision of the electoral roll through additions and deletions, this time, the EC is preparing the document afresh. All existing electors will have to submit the forms by July 25 in order to be included in the draft roll. For those who were not on the rolls in 2003 — the last time that an intensive revision was done in Bihar — and for new applicants, the EC has asked for proof of date and/or place of birth proof of self if they are born before July 1, 1987; proof of date and/or place of birth of self and one parent if born between July 1, 1987 to December 2, 2004; and proof of date and/or place of birth of self and both parents if born after December 2, 2004. Commenting on the start of the process, with booth-level officers (BLOs) going house-to-house to distribute forms to electors, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said: 'History begins. Proud moment for all Indians. Election Commission was, is and will always be with the voters.' The EC statement said that 77,895 BLOs were already in place, and 20,603 more were being appointed for new polling stations. 'More than 1 lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), poor and other vulnerable groups during the SIR. All recognised national and state political parties who are registered with ECI have also already appointed 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAs). They can still appoint more BLAs. Printing as well as door-to-door distribution of new Enumeration Forms for all the existing 7,89,69,844 electors of Bihar has already started in each of the 243 Assembly Constituencies of Bihar,' the EC said. After the EC announced the revision on June 24, Opposition parties, including the RJD, Congress, CPI (M), CPI (ML) and TMC, had raised concerns over the exercise potentially disenfranchising electors, particularly the poor, rural and minorities. While the EC has started the process in Bihar, where elections are due in November, it has issued the order for the whole country. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked whether the EC was trying to 'implement the NRC [National Register of Citizens] through backdoors'. In its statement announcing the move on June 24, the EC had cited migration and inclusion of foreigners onto the rolls as among the reasons behind the move. 'The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted by the Commission in the year 2003. Various reasons such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, young citizens becoming eligible to vote, non-reporting of deaths and inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants have necessitated the conduct of an intensive revision so as to ensure integrity and preparation of error-free electoral rolls. The BLOs shall be conducting house-to-house survey for verification during the process of this intensive revision,' the EC had said. In its statement on Saturday, the EC underlined: 'The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties and the Election Commission of India follow the Constitution. Article 326 specifies eligibility to become an elector. Only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary resident in that constituency, are eligible.' Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu's national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More
