Swift Summary
- A delegation of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders, including MPs Manoj Kumar jha and Sudhakar Singh, met the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi on September 11, 2025.
- The meeting addressed concerns about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
- RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha stated that they discussed issues such as deletions, objections, postal ballots, and clarity for over two hours.He expressed confidence that ECI would take positive steps too address their concerns.
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and ECs Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi participated in the interaction.
- ECI emphasized transparency while highlighting its interactions with national and state political parties-over 28,000 representatives engaged through 4,719 meetings in six months across various levels.
- Opposition parties have criticized SIR timing and raised concerns about possible disenfranchisement for eligible voters.
- Supreme Court directed Aadhaar cards to be accepted as valid identity proof during this electoral roll revision exercise.
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Indian opinion Analysis
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a crucial undertaking ahead of Bihar’s upcoming elections. Transparency remains central to ensuring trust among citizens and political parties. While RJD has voiced apprehensions about potential voter disenfranchisement due to deletions or procedural strictness, the EC assured improvements in simplicity and accountability. This aligns with directives from the Supreme Court mandating inclusive measures like accepting Aadhaar as voter identity proof.
The large-scale consultation conducted by ECI-engaging over 28,000 representatives-indicates diligence but also underscores challenges ahead given rising political scrutiny. Ensuring that all eligible voters are included is imperative both legally and morally; missteps could undermine public confidence not only in Bihar but also nationally within India’s democratic framework.
Image:
!RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha after a meeting with the Election Commission