Yogendra Yadav Claims 65 Lakh Names Cut from Bihar Voter List Is ‘Just the Beginning

Quick Summary:

• Yogendra Yadav, political analyst and founder of Swaraj Abhiyan, comments on the election Commission’s (EC) draft voter list released for Bihar.
• Voter Data: The list includes 7.24 crore names out of Bihar’s 8.18 crore eligible adults as per the census, leaving nearly 65 lakh missing voters unaccounted for.
• Mr. Yadav criticized the EC for not releasing details of the removed voter names publicly or in a format conducive too scrutiny and claimed this concealed critical data.
• Specific groups such as those marked “not recommended by Booth Level Officers” or unable to submit documents face increased risks of deletion. The deletions could extend beyond the initial 65 lakh, potentially impacting many more voters.
• In districts with high muslim populations (Purnia and Kishanganj), data discrepancies exist but are not significantly alarming according to Yadav’s analysis.
• Alleging constitutional violations, Mr. Yadav argued that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise burdens citizens with proving eligibility rather than presuming citizenship-a notable shift from India’s principles of worldwide adult franchise.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The concerns raised by Yogendra Yadav regarding Bihar’s voter roll revision highlight critical issues about governance and electoral integrity in India. Scrutiny around missing voter counts raises questions about transparency within one of India’s bedrock democratic processes: elections. While some omissions may arise from administrative lapses or efforts at cleansing outdated records, large-scale deletions-especially without clarity on methodology-are challenging to justify constitutionally.

The assertion that universal adult franchise is being altered through procedural changes deserves serious attention because it touches upon foundational democratic values like inclusivity and fairness.If true, shifting proof-of-citizenship responsibilities onto individuals could disenfranchise marginalized communities disproportionately.

For India’s democracy to thrive credibly, prompt action ensuring transparency from constitutional bodies like the EC will be vital-not just correcting perceived errors but also protecting trust between institutions and citizens alike.

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