EC receives 2 lakh requests for removal, 30,000 for inclusion in Bihar voters’ list

The Election Commission said it received nearly 2 lakh requests for exclusion and 30,000 for inclusion of names in Bihar’s draft electoral rolls. The final list, crucial for the November polls, will be published on September 30 after verification

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday said it has received as many as 1.98 lakh pleas from individuals for exclusion of names from the voters’ list being prepared as part of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.

On the other hand, nearly 30,000 pleas were received for inclusion of names, it said. The draft electoral rolls were published on August 1 and will remain open for “claims and objections” by individuals and political parties till September 1.

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Under the election laws, people and parties have the right to challenge the inclusion of names they think are ineligible in the draft roll. Similarly, people who think they are eligible but have been left out can also seek inclusion.

The final electoral roll for Bihar, which is likely to go for polls in November, will be published on September 30. Booth-level agents appointed by political parties have so far filed 25 claims for inclusion and 103 for exclusion from the draft list of Bihar voters.

According to the Election Commission, 99.11 per cent of the 7.24 crore electors of the state have so far submitted their documents for verification. The Supreme Court has asked the poll panel to accept an Aadhaar card or any of the 11 listed documents from people seeking inclusion in the voters’ list.

The Election Commission has asked the apex court to repose faith in it on carrying out the Special Intensive Revision in poll-bound Bihar.