'Foreign nationals' in Bihar: EC trying to obfuscate facts, says CPI(ML) Liberation

The CPI(ML) Liberation on Monday questioned the claim by Election Commission of India (ECI) officials that a large number of "foreign nationals" were being found in Bihar during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, and accused the poll panel of trying to "obfuscate the reality" by "planting" such stories.

In a statement, party general-secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya claimed that ground reports from Bihar indicate that many households have not had any visits from booth-level officers (BLOs) and most electors have no acknowledgement receipt or record.

"While millions of electors in Bihar are now battling the danger of disenfranchisement and a threat to their citizenship, the ECI 'sources' are busy planting stories about BLOs discovering large numbers of foreign nationals in Bihar," he said.

"There have never been such complaints from any quarters, including the BJP, even during the summary revision of the electoral roll after the 2024 elections," he said.

"Contrary to the EC's assurance of BLOs paying three visits to every household and supplying two enumeration forms to every elector, ground reports from Bihar tell us that many households have not had any BLO visit and most electors have no acknowledgement receipt or record regarding the forms submitted," he said.

Bhattacharya also claimed that BLOs who are conveying the true picture to journalists are being suspended, and at least one BLO has reportedly collapsed under the pressure of work. He said a block development officer (BDO) had tendered their resignation alleging harassment.

Bhattacharya said the EC is trying to "obfuscate the reality and create a lame excuse for the absurd SIR exercise".

"Unknown source-based stories are being planted to mislead the harassed electorate of Bihar. The SIR exercise is getting murkier with every passing day. Bihar deserves better and will not break this sinister 'vote bandi' drive," he said.

The opposition Mahagatbandhan in Bihar has opposed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls being held in the state ahead of assembly polls, and has called it "vote bandi" (disenfranchisement).

Election Commission officials claimed on Sunday that field-level functionaries had found "a large number of people" from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar during house-to-house visits made for the ongoing intensive review of the voters' list in Bihar.