The Election Commission's (EC) decision to limit the number of representatives allowed per party at a recent meeting has stirred controversy, leading to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh "missing" the meet. The meeting, focused on the revision of Bihar's electoral roll, saw the EC initially denying a meeting altogether before relenting and permitting only two leaders from each party to attend.
Jairam Ramesh criticized the EC, stating that the meeting only occurred "under pressure". He highlighted that the imposed restrictions prevented some leaders from participating in discussions with EC officials. Other Congress leaders, including Abhishek Singhvi, voiced concerns about the revision of voter lists in Bihar, estimating that approximately two crore people in the state could potentially lose their right to vote. Singhvi elaborated that marginalized communities, such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), migrant workers, and impoverished families, might face difficulties in providing the necessary birth certificates within the designated timeframe. He cautioned that the removal of names from the voter list would leave individuals with limited recourse to challenge the decision in court, particularly with elections approaching.
The Congress party, along with other parties in the INDIA bloc, also raised objections to the EC's restrictions on meeting participation. They alleged bias on the part of the EC and accused the commission of disregarding their concerns during the discussions. Following the meeting, Jairam Ramesh took to social media to criticize the EC's actions, likening the electoral roll revision to "VOTE-Bandi" and drawing parallels to the economic consequences of the 2016 "notebandi".
The EC's handling of the meeting and the imposed restrictions have drawn criticism from multiple parties, raising questions about the fairness and inclusivity of the electoral process. The Congress party's concerns over potential disenfranchisement in Bihar underscore the significance of accessible and equitable voter registration processes.
