Senior Congress leader and Chairman of the Law, Human Rights and RTI Department, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, on Wednesday raised serious concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar. Addressing a press conference, Singhvi questioned the Election Commission (EC) for failing to explain why nearly 65 lakh names were deleted during the process.

He said that the EC, being a constitutional body, should act independently and not only when directed by the courts. “Why did the Election Commission not take action on its own in this matter? Why wait for a court order every time?” Singhvi asked.

Lack of Public Transparency

The Congress leader alleged that the EC did not keep the public informed about the revision exercise from the beginning. Unlike earlier revisions, which were initiated well before elections, this time the process was suddenly launched at the end of June, without any prior notice or explanation.

He further pointed out that while the SIR process was deferred in Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh for specific reasons, no justification has been provided for carrying it out abruptly in Bihar.

Questions Over Aadhaar

Singhvi also highlighted inconsistencies in the EC’s guidelines. While a detailed list of documents for the revision process was provided, Aadhaar was excluded. He said officials who accepted Aadhaar during voter verification were even issued show cause notices.

“On one hand, Aadhaar is valid for ration, pension, and taxes. On the other, it is denied for voter identity. What is the logic behind this?” Singhvi questioned.

No Explanation for Deletions

He emphasized that the removal of 65 lakh voters from the list was done without giving any reason. “The public has a right to know why such a large number of names were struck off, but the Election Commission has maintained silence,” he said.

Singhvi accused the EC of secrecy, lack of accountability, and failure to uphold public confidence in the electoral process.