Jamiat clams Bihar voter list revision a threat to right to vote

New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Thursday dubbed the ongoing special intensive revision of Bihar's voters' list a threat to constitutional rights and electoral fairness and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

Jamiat president Maulana Mahmood Madani said "hasty and unclear process based on arbitrary and one-sided instructions could disenfranchise millions of citizens, particularly migrant workers, minorities, and marginalised communities, by depriving them of their fundamental right to vote." In a statement, he questioned the practicality of verifying the identities of over eight crore voters within a single month. He also objected to the requirement that individuals born after July 1, 1987, must submit documents from at least one parent, and those born after 2004 must provide documents from both parents.

"If this is not an NRC (National Register of Citizens), then why are NRC-style procedures being enforced," he asked.

He warned that, as seen in Assam, thousands of women, especially those lacking formal education or proper documentation, would be disproportionately affected, as they often do not possess proof of parental linkage.

He reminded the Election Commission that the right to vote is a fundamental democratic entitlement under Article 326 of the Constitution. Any attempt to curtail this right violates the spirit of the Constitution and strikes at the heart of India's democratic and social fabric.

Given the grave implications, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind urged the EC to immediately withdraw the directive of holding the revision. PTI NAB ZMN