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Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Politics
- Time of India
EC launches intensive revision of Bihar voter rolls to weed out illegal migrants
The Election Commission on Saturday said the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar has begun and reminded of a constitutional provision that says only Indian citizens can vote. In a statement, the EC said, "The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties and the Election Commission of India follow the Constitution." The statement comes as opposition parties questioned the intent behind the intensive revision. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now The poll authority reminded that Article 326 specifies eligibility to become an elector -- only Indian citizens, above 18 years and ordinary resident in that constituency are eligible to be on voters list. Several opposition parties have said that the exercise carries the risk of willful exclusion of voters using the state machinery. Live Events The poll authority is carrying out an intensive review of electoral rolls this year in six states beginning with Bihar to weed out foreign illegal migrants by checking their place of birth. Bihar is going to polls this year while assembly polls in these five other states -- Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal -- are scheduled in 2026. The move, which would be later expanded to other states, assumes significance in the wake of a crackdown in various states on illegal foreign migrants, including from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The EC said the special revision has already started successfully in Bihar for verifying the eligibility of each elector with "full participation" of all political parties. The poll panel already has nearly 78,000 booth level officers (BLOs) and is appointing over 20,000 more for new polling stations, it said. More than one lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, persons with disabilities, poor and other vulnerable groups during the special intensive revision. All recognised national and state political parties have already appointed 1,54,977 booth level agents (BLAs). They can still appoint more, it pointed out. BLAs are party workers who coordinate with BLOs during boreotation or revision of voters list. EC said 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 the state. 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 January 1, 2003, have to "simply verify so, fill the Enumeration Form and submit it".
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
EC defends special voter roll revision amid oppn protests
Patna: The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday made it clear that the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls is unlikely to be halted or postponed despite mounting opposition. The exercise is progressing on schedule and the draft electoral roll is set to be published on Aug 1 for corrections, if any. The last such revision was conducted in 2003. "All activities relating to SIR are progressing well as per schedule," the EC said in a press note. The clarification came a day after leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc criticised the timing of the revision and alleged that the exercise was a veiled attempt to disenfranchise sections of the electorate in order to favour the ruling alliance. "It is supposed to be the voters who elect the govt, but in this case, the govt is choosing the voters," an opposition leader said. Unfazed by the criticism, the EC underlined its constitutional mandate. "The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties and the Election Commission of India follow the Constitution. SIR has already started successfully in Bihar for verifying the eligibility of each elector with full participation of all political parties," the poll panel said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo The revision process officially began on Wednesday. The EC said 77,895 booth level officers (BLOs) have already been deployed and there are plans to induct 20,603 more. In addition, over one lakh volunteers will assist genuine voters – particularly the elderly, infirm, persons with disabilities, the poor and other vulnerable groups – during the revision. Political parties, too, have engaged in the process with recognised national and state-level parties appointing over 1.54 lakh booth level agents (BLAs). The EC noted that parties may still designate more BLAs if needed. Printing and door-to-door distribution of enumeration forms (EFs) has begun in all 243 assembly constituencies, covering Bihar's 7.89 crore electorate. Online submission of EFs is also available. Of these, 4.96 crore voters already listed in the last revised roll (based on the 2003 intensive revision) are only required to verify and submit the form. The remaining 2.93 crore must provide documents to support their claims for inclusion, first in the draft roll and subsequently in the final list after necessary corrections. Handbills are being distributed to inform voters about the process.
India Today
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Today
Why Mamata is at war with EC again over voter rolls
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, on June 26, launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission (EC), alleging that its new guidelines for electoral roll verification amounted to a covert implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), with her state as the primary from Digha in Purba Medinipur, where she was overseeing preparations for the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Mamata said she had received two lengthy letters from the EC, each spanning 25-30 pages. While she had not been able to examine them fully, she said a cursory look revealed that the commission was now demanding a declaration form—Annexure D—from voters born between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004. This form, she alleged, required submission of birth certificates of both parents as proof of called the move a 'scam', questioning the logic behind targeting those born within this specific window. 'What is the rationale behind selecting these dates? Why isolate voters born after 1987? This is more dangerous than NRC and must be resisted by all Opposition parties,' she to EC sources, the new guidelines are part of a special intensive revision of electoral rolls, set to begin in Bihar ahead of assembly elections later this year. Under the rules, voters registered before 2003 will not be required to furnish additional documents. However, those registered after 2003 must submit identity and citizenship proof. The process includes door-to-door verification across the country, and in some states, the 2004 roll will serve as the baseline. Mamata expressed concern that the rollout in Bihar—where polls are imminent and the BJP is in power—is a diversionary tactic. 'They will not touch Bihar. The real target is Bengal, which heads to polls next year,' she said. 'This exercise is meant to disenfranchise young and vulnerable voters, particularly migrant workers, students, villagers and the uneducated, who may struggle to procure their parents' documents.'advertisementMamata alleged that valid voters' names were being arbitrarily deleted at the behest of the BJP. 'The names get cancelled at the last moment on the BJP's instructions,' she claimed. 'The EC is helping them (BJP) capture Bengal using agencies and manipulation.'Mamata voiced deep suspicion over the EC's impartiality, accusing it of functioning as an extension of the Union home ministry. She directly targeted home minister Amit Shah, saying, 'Modiji is the prime minister. I respect the chair. But Amit Shah is running the country. The current chief election commissioner was his secretary in the cooperation ministry.'In a clear message to political opponents and civil society, Mamata said the Trinamool Congress would be the first line of resistance against what she described as 'Emergency weapons being handed to the BJP'. She called on all Opposition parties to unite and reject the guidelines.'The EC cannot act unilaterally. We live in a federal democracy. Political parties and elected governments are not bonded labourers. The EC must consult all recognised parties before implementing such sweeping changes,' she also questioned the long-term intention behind the voter documentation drive. 'How will poor people produce their parents' birth certificates? This is a backdoor NRC. Let the commission come clean on its intention,' she said. 'Even in Assam, the NRC took six years and is still not accepted as a final list.'advertisementShe cited past incidents to underscore her mistrust. In February this year, she had flagged cases of duplicate voter identity cards in Bengal matching those in states like Rajasthan and Haryana. The party raised the issue with the EC, which admitted to flaws in the electoral rolls. 'Now they ask us to provide details of booth-level workers. Why should I reveal their identities to the commission?' she across the political spectrum are beginning to echo her concerns. CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya wrote to chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, warning that the current revision exercise mirrored the scale and nature of the Assam NRC, which failed to conclusively resolve citizenship also sounded an alarm over the potential detention of voters who may fail to meet the documentation criteria. 'Those who are studying or working outside must ensure their names remain on the rolls till the day of polling. I've been told that 100 migrant workers from Bengal have been detained in Odisha's Cuttack. Some are held in Balasore police station. Why are these incidents happening every day?' she voters to remain vigilant, Mamata warned that disenfranchising citizens under the pretext of document verification would eventually 'backfire on the BJP'. She concluded with a message of defiance: 'We are not opposed to a fair revision of the voter list. But we will not allow the disenfranchisement of genuine voters through such dubious methods.'Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Navi Mumbai rids ‘critically polluted' tag
NAVI MUMBAI: In a significant policy shift poised to inject new life into Navi Mumbai's real estate sector, the city no longer falls under 'Critically Polluted Areas', as it was categorised by the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI). According to the CEPI score published in 2019, Navi Mumbai fell under the 'Severely/Critically Polluted Areas'. However, as of May, Navi Mumbai registered comfortably below the 60-point threshold with a score of 53.59. CEPI score takes into account the air quality, surface and groundwater, and soil. Construction projects that faced restrictions getting environmental clearances (EC) in the region will now see a drastically simplified process that is expected to unlock hundreds of crores in stalled real estate investments. A much simplified environ-mental clearances process is expected to unlock hundreds of crores in stalled real estate invest-ments. HT Archives (Hindustan Times) This latest development was announced, along with the updated 2024 CEPI data from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) during the 241st meeting of the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC-2) on May 29, the minutes of which were made available online recently. A Bombay High Court order from June 25 also bolstered the development, as it mandated all EC applications in the city to be assessed solely by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Maharashtra. Responding to a writ petition filed by the Builders Association Navi Mumbai, the high court directed the state to process, within 8 weeks, all pending EC proposals on the current CEPI data as published by the MPCB. The elimination of the previous requirement for additional scrutiny from the Central Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) reduces approval times for both new and ongoing projects, injecting fresh momentum into commercial and residential segments. Developers, investors, and homebuyers are hopeful about the accelerated revival of delayed housing projects, reduced financial strain, and promising new proposals, including under the NAINA (Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area) development scheme. Santosh Patil, secretary of the NAINA builder welfare association, said, 'Due to regulatory uncertainty, several projects were stuck financially. This policy shift clears that logjam. The development potential of Navi Mumbai can now be fully realized.'
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
EC drive a routine effort to weed out illegal immigrants: Bengal BJP
Kolkata: A day after CM Mamata Banerjee called Election Commission 's directives on voter-list revision in Bihar an "NRC-like approach", Bengal BJP on Friday termed the exercise a "routine drive to weed out illegal immigrants". BJP's Bengal minder, Amit Malviya, said: "The poll body has begun a lawful and routine drive to weed out illegal immigrants." Taking to X, Malviya said illegal immigrants were "maliciously included in Bengal's electoral rolls by the ruling TMC and CPI(M) before that". He said ensuring "clean and accurate voter rolls" was not NRC but "electoral integrity". Bengal BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said EC was trying to ensure free and fair polls in the state, which was "marred by violence". "Terrorists have made Bengal their safe haven. This is evident from recent arrests made by NIA. The way demography has changed, it is now a question of Bengal's security. EC is working in the national interest and is ensuring internal security is not compromised," he said. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata
