‘The next step is predictable…’: Asaduddin Owaisi on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar disempowers the poorest and paves way for their exclusion from citizenship. He said in India voting is the only real power the poor have. “That right cannot be snatched away just because someone doesn’t have a specific document,” he argued.

Owaisi’s post on social media comes amid protests in Bihar against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc leaders gathered in Patna to support the nationwide 'chakka jam' protesting the four labour codes. In Bihar, the opposition coalition also raised concerns about the SIR, which they claim could disenfranchise many voters just months before the assembly polls, allegedly benefiting the ruling NDA. 

The AIMIM chief said that five out of the 11 documents required don’t even mention date or place of birth. 

“Once someone is removed from the electoral rolls for not being able to produce documents, the next step is predictable: they will be denied basic citizenship rights—ration cards, passports, the right to own agricultural land. Such individuals will be left vulnerable to blackmail and extortion,” he said. 

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is casting doubts on all previous voter registrations through this revision, he said. Owaisi questioned the capacity of Booth Level Officers (BLO) to decide who is and who isn’t a citizen. “BLOs are confused about their responsibilities, ill-equipped to help voters, and unprotected when attempting to do their jobs fairly,” he added.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs have been given arbitrary powers to doubt citizenship of individuals, said Owaisi. He also questioned the rationale behind seeking the 11 listed documents, and argued that they are not available to a majority of Biharis. “Why was there no public consultation or engagement with political parties before this drastic move? Public consultation is standard practice for the ECI before major changes are introduced,” he asked.

A large number of eligible voters from Bihar may be outside their home districts or constituencies due to work or study, he reasoned, adding that it is common for such voters to return home during election period. “This “verification” process, conducted in their absence, unfairly penalizes them,” he said.

“The ECI is treating our citizenship and voting rights like a do-it-yourself project. It has amended its own notification multiple times – first requiring documents, then exempting certain groups, now saying a form must be filled but documents aren’t necessary. Clearly, the notification came first; the planning came later. The goal was simple: to create panic among the poorest of the poor. People already struggling to feed their children are now being forced to pause their lives and dig up decades-old documents to prove they are not ‘foreigners’,” he said.

WHAT IS SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION?

The Election Commission commenced a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, starting on June 24. This revision, last conducted in 2003, aims to include eligible citizens and remove those ineligible from the voter lists, addressing concerns over urbanisation and migration. This revision seeks to improve the accuracy of voter lists amid challenges posed by demographic changes in Bihar.

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will carry out door-to-door surveys to verify voter details, ensuring transparency in adding or removing names. An official statement highlights, "The objective of an intensified revision is to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included in the Electoral Roll."

The revision process mandates the submission of one of 11 documents for verification, like birth certificates and identity cards. Notably, Aadhaar is not listed among required documents.

The Congress has criticised the revision process, arguing it could lead to voter exclusion through misuse of state machinery. They describe the revision as a solution more harmful than the problem itself.

Efforts are being made to facilitate vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and Persons with Disabilities, ensuring they are not harassed during this process.

Complaints raised by political parties or individuals will be investigated by poll officials, with options to appeal to higher authorities if necessary.