Oppn protests roll revision, still deploys 56,000 BLAs in Bihar
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New Delhi: Despite their disgruntlement and protests over the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral roll, the state's opposition parties have already joined the exercise in full strength, deploying over 56,000 booth level agents (BLAs) to monitor every stage of the process.
For instance, RJD has appointed 47,143 BLAs, making it second only to BJP that has positioned 51,964 BLAs in the field. Congress has appointed 8,586 BLAs, CPI(ML) (Liberation) 233, CPM 76 and BSP 26.
BJP allies JD(U), Lok Janshakti Party and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party have appointed 27,931, 2,457 and 264 BLAs, respectively, taking the total deployment by NDA to 82,616 BLAs.
Election Commission sources told TOI on Sunday that all political parties are in the process of appointing more BLAs for proper verification of electoral rolls.
EC officials, despite facing criticism of SIR as an attempt at "disenfranchisement", sought to make it crystal clear on Sunday that the poll body will strictly implement Article 326 during the exercise. The Article, a senior EC functionary told TOI, casts a constitutional duty on the commission to enrol only those who are Indian citizens above 18 years of age, ordinary resident in the assembly constituency concerned and not disqualified under any law as an elector.
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"SIR is in line with Article 326. It's a straight question (to the parties criticising SIR): Do you agree with Article 326 or not," asked the functionary.
"Political parties and other persons are supposed to follow Article 326 in letter and spirit. Anyone opposing SIR is also opposing Article 326 and should therefore clear their stand," said another senior EC official.
EC has already advised all recognised political parties in Bihar to appoint their workers as BLAs in polling stations "now rather than finding faults with the electoral rolls later", as per the senior EC functionary.
Electoral registration officers (EROs) have started conducting orientation workshops for BLAs of all parties to explain the process and sensitise them about SIR.
The BLA for a polling station will be associated with the booth level officer (BLO) during the revision period. Political parties would also be asked to give a list of BLAs to respective their EROs.
Before house-to-house enumeration, a BLO will hold a meeting with BLAs appointed by political parties and brief them about the schedule and process of SIR.
BLOs will go through the draft electoral roll with BLAs and identify corrections to be carried out.
"It is pertinent to mention that BLAs once appointed by a recognised political party will continue as BLA, unless their appointment is rescinded revoked by the political party concerned," as per EC instructions on SIR in Bihar issued last week.
EC has allowed BLAs to file applications in bulk, subject to the condition that a BLA would not submit more than 50 forms per day to a BLO before the draft roll publication, and 10 forms per day thereafter.
BLAs will submit a list of application forms with an undertaking that he or she has personally verified the particulars of the application forms and is satisfied that they are correct.
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