BJP is 3rd party to file SIR claims & objections as deadline ends

NEW DELHI: As the deadline to file claims and objections in Bihar ended Monday, BJP became the third party, after CPI(ML) Liberation and RJD, to file claims and objections on the draft electoral roll, reports Bharti Jain.

As per EC's update at 10 am Monday, a total of 144 claims and objections were received from booth level agents (BLA) of political parties; of these, only 25 have sought inclusion of 'eligible' electors, while 119 are for exclusion of 'ineligible' electors. BJP filed 16 objections seeking exclusion and CPI (ML) Liberation, 103. RJD and CPI(ML) Liberation have applied for inclusion of 15 and 10 electors, respectively.

Electors have directly filed 36,474 claims for inclusion and almost 2.2 lakh for exclusion. The exclusions have been sought mainly by electors who submitted enumeration forms while already enrolled at other places. Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides for up to a year's jail term for falsely claiming no prior enrolment as an elector.

Over 16.5 lakh new electors have applied for enrolment upon turning 18 years of age or on account of seeking it for the first time despite being eligible. Of these, 45 forms were received through party BLAs.

With the claims and objections period over, the ball is now in the court of 243 electoral registration officers (EROs) and 2,976 assistant EROs. They will scrutinise the enumeration forms and the documents attached, in light of the booth level officers' recommendations. Sources said almost 70% of the electors may not require scrutiny as nearly 4.96 crore electors (though these may include the 65 lakh names deleted on account of being dead, permanently shifted, untraceable or enrolled at multiple places) were there in the 2003 roll and not required to submit any documents. Also on the "all-clear" list would be kids born to parents included in 2003 roll, and electors who have filed objections seeking their exclusion.