New Delhi [India], July 24 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar, urging opposition parties to think deeply, "going beyond political ideologies."
In a statement, the ECI questioned its critics and asked if it should allow fake votes to be cast in the names of deceased and migrated voters.
"The Constitution of India is the mother of Indian democracy. So, fearing these things, should the Election Commission, getting misled by some people, pave the way for some to cast fake votes in the name of deceased voters, voters who have migrated permanently, voters who have got their votes registered at two places, fake voters or foreign voters, going against the Constitution, first in Bihar, then in the entire country?" it said.
Furthermore, the ECI inquired whether preparing an authentic voter list is a foundation for fair elections in the country.
"Isn't the authentic voter list being prepared by the Election Commission through a transparent process, the foundation stone for fair elections and a strong democracy?" the statement by ECI said.
The Election Commission urged citizens to consider these questions while setting aside their political ideologies.
"On these questions, sometime or the other, all of us and all the citizens of India will have to think deeply, going beyond political ideologies. And perhaps the most appropriate time for this essential thinking for all of you has now arrived in India," the election body said.
This statement comes against the backdrop of protests and criticism against the SIR exercise in Bihar.
Earlier today, the INDIA bloc, for the fourth consecutive day, protested against the ongoing SIR being conducted in poll-bound Bihar.
The opposition parties have repeatedly called for a discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha regarding the revision exercise, moving adjournment motions every day since the start of the monsoon session and alleging that manipulation of voter rolls is taking place under the guise of the SIR.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji, Deputy Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJ) MP Manoj Jha, among multiple other leaders, attended the protest.
Carrying a banner which read "SIR-Attack on Democracy," the MPs stood at Makar Dwar, demanding that the voter list revision be halted.
According to a press release by the ECI on Wednesday, 98.01 per cent of Electors have been covered in the SIR process so far. 20 lakh deceased and 28 lakh permanently migrated Electors have been reported.