EC: Nothing arbitrary in conduct of SIR

CONTINUING its submissions on the SIR issue, the Election Commission on Thursday told the Supreme Court that there was nothing manifestly arbitrary in its conduct of the SIR.

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY

“There may be errors here and there, but the exercise is bona fide,” senior lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the ECI, told the apex court.

The SC was hearing a batch of pleas challenging the EC’s decision to conduct the huge exercise of SIR of electoral rolls in several states, including Bihar. After the SIR 2003, Dwivedi said that the CAA was amended, and a person had to prove that both of the parents were born in India, because cross-border migration had increased.

“The Amendment Act of 2003 was passed when Atal Bihari Bajpayee was the PM, there was complete support on both sides, no opposition... It shows that across the board this amendment was desirable,” he said. Defending the entire exercise, Dwivedi stated that no individual directly affected by the SIR exercise of electoral rolls has come to court. “You see who are the petitioners?