LS polls in Karnataka 'stolen', we found out EC's 'game': Rahul Gandhi
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Deccan Herald
27 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
SIR rolls on in Bihar even as Opposition warns of voter erasure
Ever since the Election Commission on June 24 announced a comprehensive revision of the electoral roll in Bihar—also called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)—there has been considerable outcry from the Opposition parties over the the Parliament session in New Delhi to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha session in Patna, the Opposition has staged protests against the SIR exercise, alleging that it is an attempt 'to disenfranchise lakhs of poor voters who cannot produce the requisite documents required to be submitted along with the enumeration forms (EFs).'.The deadline for submitting these forms is July 25. The Election Commission will then publish a draft electoral roll on August 1, after which the voters will have around one month to rectify any errors in their name, address, and mobile number. Once corrections are made, the EC will publish the final voters' list in September, which will also be digitised. A copy of the final roll will be provided to all registered political no one has questioned the intention behind the SIR drive—through which the Election Commission aims to clean the Augean Stables and weed out bogus voters—what sparked controversy was the EC's directive that Aadhaar, ration cards, and voters identity cards could not be submitted as supporting documents to be attached with enumeration was only when the Supreme Court of India, during its hearing on the matter earlier this month, made an oral observation that the EC reconsidered and included Aadhaar, permanent account number (PAN), and ration cards as valid documentary proof of identity that the furor over SIR somewhat EC eventually clarified that all genuine voters could submit their EFs to the booth-level officers (BLOs) even without documents (if they do not have them at the time), provided they submit the necessary documents at a later stage for verification. Around one lakh BLOs and thousands of booth-level agents (BLAs) have been working tirelessly to collect the EFs from Bihar's 7.9 crore July 21, the EC further clarified in its affidavit submitted to the apex court that it 'cannot accept Aadhaar as a valid document, as it is merely a proof of identity; there are a large number of fake ration cards in circulation; and relying on existing voter identity cards would render the special drive (conducted under Article 326 of the Constitution) futile.'.Despite the continuing standoff, the SIR drive in Bihar is proceeding at full pace. With the deadline to submit the enumeration forms fast approaching on July 25, the EC claims that nearly 97 per cent of the electorate has already been to EC sources, of Bihar's 78,969,844 voters, 52.3 lakh were found to be no longer residing at their registered addresses. Of these 52.3 lakh voters, 18.7 lakh were reported as deceased, around 26 lakh had permanently shifted, 7.5 lakh were enrolled in multiple locations, and 11,484 were marked 'not traceable.' 'Such voters will be weeded out to improve the integrity of the electoral roll,' an EC source as the SIR drive continues, which gained momentum after the Supreme Court refused to stay the EC's move, the Opposition remains deeply sceptical. Former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has written a letter to 35 political parties—including NDA allies such as TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Chirag Paswan (LJP-R), Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM), and Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal in UP), as well as opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, and others—registering his strong protest..'The farce and tragedy of the SIR going on in Bihar has shaken the very foundation of democracy through large-scale disenfranchisement. It is a clear indication of how the independent institution of the Election Commission is adamant on eroding public trust in the integrity of our electoral process,' Tejashwi wrote, adding that he was writing the letter in "a deep sense of anguish and urgency"..He further pointed out that the experience of Maharashtra was still fresh in people's minds and the EC had yet to respond to the concerns raised regarding the revision of voters' lists there..'Now it's Bihar's turn. This must be resisted in the strongest terms possible. Because if we do not raise our voices and register our strong protest, the same will be carried out in other states as well. The Constitution demands that we defend the republic. We should not be found wanting at this historical juncture,' said Tejashwi..'Despite the Opposition's concern, I believe the SIR should have been undertaken before the Lok Sabha elections and applied across the country. Secondly, the EC should have accepted Aadhaar as a valid document. After all, if they are accepting passports and bank passbooks—both linked to Aadhaar—then why not Aadhaar itself?" opined senior journalist Giridhar Jha, who has reported on Bihar for over three Supreme Court will hear the SIR matter afresh on July 28.
Deccan Herald
27 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Maldives outreach: Advantage India
In the fierce geostrategic tussle between India and China for influence in the Maldives, New Delhi seems to have the upper hand in Malé, for now. Else, New Delhi would not have planned the state visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the strategically located Indian Ocean archipelago to participate in its Independence Day celebrations on July has been invited as a 'guest of honour' by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu after some initial hostility and turbulence in bilateral ties. It will mark Modi's first visit to the neighbouring country in six years, the last one being in June 2019 when an India-leaning government under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was in place. He will be the first head of government to be hosted by Muizzu, who took over in November visit's symbolic significance is noteworthy. To the world at large, it will signal that New Delhi, and not Beijing, remains the archipelago's preferred development partner. Muizzu, in turn, will be able to convey to his domestic audience that he's an able administrator who can deliver outcomes and draw benefits from his country's biggest renewed outreach to the Muizzu government indicates a growing confidence that the Maldives, a key maritime neighbour, will remain mindful of its strategic interests. Battling strong competition from China in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), New Delhi has faced a tough diplomatic challenge to ensure it does not cede strategic space to Beijing. Like many of India's neighbours, the Maldives has joined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a vital component of its Maritime Silk Road ambitions. Leaders of IOR island nations have become adept at playing the two Asian giants against one another to leverage benefits, further queering the pitch for alignment with the Quad nations – the US, Australia, and Japan – in the wider Indo-Pacific is part of its strategy to counter Beijing's expanding footprint in the IOR and beyond. India has even recast its earlier doctrine of Vision Sagar (Security and Growth for All) in the Global South as Vision Mahasagar (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) to widen its ambit of and visit serves as a marked indicator of this shifting tide in India's favour. There is an unmissable irony in Muizzu's invite, given that he rode to power fuelling anti-India sentiments. This campaign culminated in Muizzu forcing India to pull out its 80 military personnel in the archipelago, within a few months of becoming President. However, a little over a year later, bilateral relations are on the mend, with Modi's impending visit signalling the final reset. Muizzu was in India twice last year – for the Modi 3.0 government's inauguration and a bilateral visit. While the closeness witnessed during Ibu Solih's tenure may not be there, India has little cause for complaint. Despite Muizzu's perceived pro-China leanings, Beijing hasn't been able to make a comeback in the archipelago as was expected during his Maldives could not secure the anticipated financial assistance from China, its largest external creditor, and some Islamic countries. Consequently, Muizzu had to turn to India to navigate a debilitating economic crisis. Muizzu has also been seeking investments to promote his country as a business and financial hub. Even if this does happen, it will take time to now, the Maldives is under debt distress. Under the risk of defaulting on its external debt repayments, Muizzu's anti-India sentiments have given way to pragmatism and realpolitik as he now has to deliver results in his economically beleaguered has played its cards skilfully. It initially stepped in to assist the Solih government after the Maldives reeled under a dire economic situation during the pandemic, with its tourism-dependent economy taking a huge hit. Then, it decided to continue with its financial assistance to the Muizzu government despite initial bilateral tensions, which has helped the Maldives avoid a default on its external debt the Maldivian economy is not yet out of the woods. Muizzu still has to find ways to service an external debt of $1 billion in 2026. While India has helped out through currency swaps and rolling over of treasury bills worth $100 million, China has held back in the fear that other debt-distressed countries might also seek similar this seemingly positive outlook for New Delhi, it cannot afford to slacken its outreach to Malé. China is keenly waiting in the wings to usurp India's strategic space. India has to ensure that the Muizzu government can be relied upon to be a loyal friend in the long run..(The writer is a senior journalist)
NDTV
30 minutes ago
- NDTV
Strong India-UK Friendship Is Essential For Global Progress: PM Modi
London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London on Wednesday evening for his two-day visit to the United Kingdom (UK), and said that a "strong friendship between the two countries is essential for global progress". "Landed in London. This visit will go a long way in advancing the economic partnership between our nations. The focus will be on furthering prosperity, growth and boosting job creation for our people. A strong India-UK friendship is essential for global progress," PM Modi said on social media platform X. "Scripting a new beginning in the India-Great Britain Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. PM @narendramodi lands in London, on an official visit to the UK. Bilateral talks with PM @Keir_Starmer & meeting with His Majesty King Charles III @RoyalFamily lie ahead," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on X. The Prime Minister's visit to the UK, scheduled for July 23–24, comes at the invitation of British counterpart Keir Starmer and will be his fourth trip to the country. "Leaving for the UK, a country with which our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has achieved significant momentum in the last few years. I look forward to my talks with PM Keir Starmer and my meeting with His Majesty King Charles III," PM Modi said on X as he emplaned for the UK. "During the visit, the two sides will also review the progress of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with a specific focus on trade and economy, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate, health, education and people-to-people ties," the Ministry of External Affairs said in its press statement. The discussions will also touch upon regional and global developments of mutual concern. The visit is expected to inject new momentum into the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), with both leaders aiming to review progress and chart new areas of cooperation, including India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). PM Modi is also likely to call on King Charles III during his stay. Under negotiation for three years, the FTA is expected to eliminate tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports to the UK and reduce tariffs on 90 per cent of British goods. It is projected to double bilateral trade by 2030 from the current $60 billion and boost British exports such as whisky and cars to India. PM Modi is likely to raise concerns about Khalistani extremists in the UK. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "The issue of the presence of Khalistani extremists, bodies close to these people, is something that we have brought to the attention of our partners in the UK." The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit builds on frequent high-level engagement between the two countries. PM Modi and his UK counterpart Starmer have already met twice -- in Brazil during the G20 Summit and again at the G7 in June 2025 -- and held multiple phone conversations.
