EC: Nothing arbitrary in conduct of SIR

Matter came up during challenge to the exercise

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY @New Delhi

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.

“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.