New Delhi [India], July 27 : Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Sunday claimed the issue of citizenship had been "politicised and camouflaged" amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
He also said that the INDIA alliance has kept all options open, including the possibility of boycotting the upcoming Bihar elections.
Speaking to reporters, Singhvi said, "Citizenship is an important issue; you have politicised it, camouflaged it, while the main issue is citizenship. All paths are open, no decision has been taken on this (regarding the boycott of Bihar elections by the INDIA alliance), but all options are open."
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar urged the Election Commission to uphold its constitutional duties.
"Our Constitution has entrusted the responsibility of conducting elections to the Election Commission. Whether at the national or state level, it is their solemn duty to conduct fair elections and to do so in a manner that ensures the complete trust of the country's people. The Constitution has given the Election Commission the responsibility to maintain this trust. I hope they will work towards this," Meira Kumar told reporters while speaking on the Special Intensive Revision being carried out in Bihar.
Meanwhile, the BJP hit back, MP Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the Election Commission, saying they reflect an unchanged "ideology" even 50 years after the Emergency.
He alleged that the Congress party still believes elections are fair only if it wins.
Speaking to reporters, Trivedi said, "The continuous attacks by Rahul Gandhi on the Election Commission show that 50 years have passed since the Emergency, but the ideology has not changed. Fifty years ago, Indira Gandhi used to say that the validity of the election would be proven by whether I win the election or not, and now Rahul Gandhi is saying the same thing, that it will be decided on the basis of whether I win the election or not. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi that, according to him, did the Election Commission do a good job in Punjab and J&K, and a bad job in Haryana?"
The Election Commission of India is currently conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
The exercise has sparked a political row, with the opposition INDIA bloc alleging that the revision process could lead to the deletion of a large number of voters.
According to data from the revision exercise in Bihar, around 35 lakh electors have either migrated permanently or could not be traced at their registered addresses. The figures have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the voter list as the Election Commission prepares for a nationwide revision of electoral rolls.
The scale of untraced voters in Bihar has led to speculation about what the national SIR exercise may reveal. Political parties from across the spectrum have long raised concerns over the accuracy of the electoral rolls, including the issue of ineligible names being added.
It is also worth noting that a large number of untraceable electors have been found during the SIR in Bihar. Several political analysts have expressed concern about the credibility of the electoral roll, pointing to possible inclusion of ineligible individuals.
As per government data from 2017, an estimated 2.04 crore Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas are believed to be living illegally in India, adding another layer of complexity to concerns over voter list accuracy. As of January 1, 2024, India had 96.88 crore registered voters for the General Elections, making the outcome of the nationwide revision exercise highly significant.