Controversy Over EC's Revision of Electoral Rolls

RJD Leader Chittaranjan Gagan Said the Party Is Strongly Against Such an Exercise

- Anirban Guha Roy

PATNA: The Election Commission has made it mandatory for new and existing voters to submit a self-attested declaration that they are Indian citizens, whether by birth or by naturalization, and furnish documentary proof of date and place of birth along with that of their parents, officials said on Wednesday, as a political controversy broke out over the EC's decision to conduct a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls to weed out illegal immigrants ahead of Bihar polls.

The revision exercise began in Bihar, where polls are due later this year, on Wednesday.

"The SIR directives are detailed and would be followed in principle by the booth level officers (BLOs), who will make house-to-house verification of voters. The exercise has begun from today and will continue till July 26," said a state election department official.

As part of the documentation, electors born in India before 01.07.1987 will be asked to submit a pre-filled enumeration form and one document for self (from the list of 11 different documents) establishing date of birth and/or place of birth.