CEC Gyanesh Kumar clarifies on Aadhaar amid SIR row

New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday addressed key concerns raised by political parties over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, clarifying the role of Aadhaar and the process for filing complaints.

Responding to IANS queries at a press conference, the CEC underlined that under the Representation of the People Act (RPA), “any elector of the constituency can file a complaint.”

He stressed that non-electors cannot simply lodge objections; they may submit inputs as witnesses, but only if supported by an oath administered before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). “You cannot complain just by registering a complaint,” he said, dismissing allegations of non-responsiveness to bulk affidavits filed by opposition leaders.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar's response came in when he was asked by IANS on the allegations made by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who, a few days back, claimed that no action was taken even after submitting an affidavit regarding a voter fraud of 18,000 votes in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of ignoring such complaints, a charge the poll body firmly rejects.

On the Aadhaar issue, the Supreme Court has fixed the next hearing for August 22, where the matter of considering Aadhaar as an additional document may be discussed. CEC Gyanesh Kumar clarified that while Aadhaar is not a mandatory identity proof for inclusion in the electoral rolls, aggrieved persons can submit their enumeration forms along with Aadhaar as supporting evidence.

“EC has accepted this and follows the procedure accordingly,” he noted.

With the Supreme Court set to examine the Aadhaar linkage issue later this week, the controversy over the SIR drive is likely to intensify in Bihar’s heated political climate.

--IANS

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