New Delhi [India], August 6 : Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Shatrughan Sinha on Wednesday claimed that the Central government has conspired to conduct Special Intensive Revision in Bihar as it fears the rising popularity of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Speaking to ANI, TMC MP Sinha said, "Parliament will not function because it is the demand of the country, and SIR is a conspiracy of the government. The Election Commission of India has changed the goalpost. Names of 65 lakh voters have been removed from the voters' list...Given the popularity of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Tejashwi Yadav, the conspiracy of SIR is being done...The government does not want Parliament to function because they do not want to answer many questions."
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to file its response by August 9 on a fresh application of an NGO seeking disclosure of data of 65 lakh voters who were not included in the Bihar draft electoral roll after Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, mentioned the matter before the apex court, saying no specific information has been given on who is dead and who has permanently migrated out.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh asked the counsel for the Election Commission to furnish the details of deleted voters, the data which has been shared with the political parties, and give a copy to the NGO.
The Election Commission said all requisite information had been given to political parties.
Meanwhile, the poll panel said a day earlier that zero claims or objections had been filed by political parties since the publication of the draft electoral rolls in Bihar on August 1, up until 6th August (9 AM).
Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be held later this year, in October or November; however, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date.
While the NDA, consisting of the BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will once again be looking to continue their stint in Bihar, the INDIA bloc, consisting of the RJD, Congress, and left parties, will be looking to unseat Nitish Kumar. In the current Bihar Assembly of 243 members, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) consists of 131 members, with the BJP having 80 MLAs, JD(U)-45, HAM(S)-4, with the support of 2 Independent Candidates.
The Opposition's INDIA Bloc comprises 111 members, with the RJD leading with 77 MLAs, followed by Congress with 19, CPI(ML) with 11, CPI(M) with 2, and CPI with 2.