TMC Criticizes ECI's Electoral Roll Revision Ahead of Bihar Elections

TMC MP Derek O' Brien slams the Election Commission of India for revising the electoral roll, alleging it as a partisan move favoring BJP. The revision mandates new documentation for voter registration, raising concerns of reintroducing NRC-like measures. INDIA bloc parties plan to challenge this in Parliament.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its decision to conduct a special revision of the electoral roll before the upcoming Bihar elections. In a press conference, TMC MP Derek O' Brien accused the ECI of acting in favor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), raising concerns over the timing and intent of the revision.

Brien pointed out that the ECI's mandate requires voters to provide extensive documentation, potentially affecting voter eligibility. He highlighted that new procedural requirements mean that many voters must submit proof of birth and place of birth, depending on their birth year, or risk having their names removed from the voter list.

The TMC MP further alleged that this move resembled past controversial citizenship verification processes, likening it to tactics from the Nazi era. Brien vowed that the INDIA bloc, an alliance of opposition parties, would raise the issue both inside and outside Parliament to challenge the ECI's actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)