‘ECI discredited, G2 puppeteers defeated’: Congress on SC directive

The Congress on Friday, 22 August, hailed the Supreme Court’s directive on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, saying democracy had survived a “brutal assault” from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the ECI to allow excluded voters to submit claims online in addition to physical submissions, and to accept Aadhaar along with any of 11 other valid documents as proof of identity. The court also asked Bihar’s chief electoral officer to implead political parties in the case, noting the lack of objections filed despite 65 lakh voters being excluded.

Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said the party “welcomes the Supreme Court’s guardrails to make the revision more inclusive,” alleging that the ECI’s approach so far had been “obstructionist and contrary to the interests of voters.”

“Today, the ECI stands totally exposed and discredited. Its G2 puppeteers stand decisively defeated,” Ramesh said.

The party recalled that on 14 August, the Supreme Court had already set aside the ECI’s decision to withhold the list of deleted voters, directing the poll body to publish deletions with reasons and to accept Aadhaar as valid ID proof.

The court has now mandated that political parties file status reports on claims they facilitate for excluded voters. It also ordered election officials to furnish acknowledgement receipts to booth-level agents submitting physical forms.

Meanwhile, the ECI sought 15 days to demonstrate there was no exclusion in the revision process.

With PTI inputs