Bihar BJP Urges Election Commission for Voter Verification Ahead of Assembly Elections
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to implement stringent verification measures to ensure that only “genuine voters” are permitted to cast their votes in the upcoming state assembly elections. Dilip Jaiswal, the state BJP president, expressed the party’s concerns during a recent meeting with representatives from recognized political parties, as reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Jaiswal emphasized the need for thorough verification, particularly for burqa-clad women voters, to match their faces with their respective Election Photo Identification Cards (EPIC). He stated, “We have urged the ECI to ensure that the tallying of faces of voters is done correctly.” This request comes as the ECI prepares to announce the election schedule in the coming days.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which heads the opposition Mahagathbandhan coalition, has criticized the BJP’s suggestions. Abhay Kushwaha, leader of the RJD delegation at the meeting, labeled the BJP’s proposal a “political conspiracy.” He reiterated that the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been completed and new EPIC cards are being issued to all voters with updated photographs, implying that voter identification should not pose any issue.
In addition, Jaiswal recommended the deployment of paramilitary forces in areas with large populations of disadvantaged groups to deter potential intimidation during the elections. While the RJD acknowledged this concern, they also expressed worries that the SIR could have been conducted to favor the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and requested the ECI reveal details regarding the removal of 366,000 names from the final electoral roll released earlier this week.
The RJD further urged the ECI to restrict the NDA government from announcing populist measures without proper budget allocations and to impose stricter checks on personal attacks and derogatory remarks aimed at political opponents during the campaign period.
