Electoral Roll Revision Sparks Bihar Political Storm

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls has ignited a political controversy, with the opposition INDIA bloc alleging the exercise favors the ruling NDA. The Election Commission aims for a comprehensive voter list update, but concerns over exclusion have led to Supreme Court petitions challenging the revision's timing and process.

The voter list exercise known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked a heated political debate in Bihar, amidst accusations from the INDIA opposition bloc. They claim that the revision was strategically planned to benefit the ruling NDA, a move fiercely denied by the Election Commission.

In a significant legal development, the SIR issue has climbed to the Supreme Court's docket, slated for hearing on July 10. The Election Commission's recently initiated door-to-door verification encompasses approximately eight crore voters in Bihar, prompting fierce debate and legal challenges.

Key opposition figures, including Tejashwi Yadav, along with Congress's Rahul Gandhi, have criticized the process's timing, close to the state's assembly elections. Allegations focus on targeted voter deletions and burdensome documentation requirements, raising fears of disenfranchisement among certain voter groups.

(With inputs from agencies.)