Patna, July 17 (IANS) Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, alleging that the commission is working at the behest of the BJP and compromising the democratic process.

Speaking to the media persons in Patna, Tejashwi stated that despite repeated meetings with the Election Commission in Delhi and Patna, officials, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, have not addressed the concerns raised by opposition leaders, nor have they held press conferences on the issues.

“This is the biggest drive of the Commission, yet political parties have not been called even once. We suspect something is fishy,” he said, alleging that the ECI is “destroying democracy” under the BJP’s instructions.

Tejashwi claimed that 35 lakh names have been deleted from the voter list, citing reports from “sources” three days ago, which the commission later confirmed via a press release.

He questioned the origin of such figures and demanded transparency, stating that when names are deleted, the commission must upload and share the details of the individuals removed to ensure accountability.

He also alleged irregularities at the ground level. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are not reaching many locations, with forms being signed and uploaded without verification.

Forms are being filled in the presence of BJP leaders in places like Darbhanga, where he claimed to have video evidence of such incidents.

Tejashwi said these actions threaten people’s rights, including their ration, pension, and welfare entitlements tied to voter registration.

He alleged that the ECI is erasing people’s existence by deleting names without due process, impacting not only voting rights but also eligibility in government schemes.

The RJD leader added that they will raise the issue on all platforms, including at the upcoming INDIA alliance meeting in Delhi at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, and will write letters to political parties across the country to highlight the issue.

–IANS

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