The Election Commission is considering conducting a special revision of voter lists across the country

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is considering extending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists being carried out in Bihar across the country. The Commission has convened a meeting of Chief Electoral Officers of all states in Delhi on September 10, which will be attended by Election Commissioners and senior officials of all states, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The SIR campaign in Bihar has taken the form of a political controversy. Opposition parties including RJD, Congress, CPI, CPM, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party have objected to the deletion of names of a large number of voters and have raised questions on the functioning of the Election Commission.

Assembly elections are scheduled in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry next year. In this context, if the Election Commission conducts SIR across the country, political tensions between the ruling and opposition parties may increase.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin have opposed the SIR campaign, while BJP-ruled states have supported the Election Commission’s move.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had termed the allegations of bias related to SIR in Bihar as baseless in his press conference last month. He had said that some political elements were spreading confusion and questioning the credibility of the election body and the voters.

He had clarified that the Election Commission stands impartially with all sections of society – poor, rich, elderly, women, youth and voters of every religion and is doing its work without any discrimination.