'BJP's disenfranchisement plan': Congress' Shama Mohammad slams EC's voter list revision in Bihar

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammad on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission over its ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it a "deliberate move" to help the BJP-led NDA ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Speaking to IANS, Mohammad alleged that the timing of the revision exercise — just months before the polls — was not coincidental but a calculated strategy to suppress votes of key opposition support groups such as Muslims, Dalits, and OBCs.

"If the EC genuinely wanted to revise the voter list, they had ample time. Why now, when elections are barely 2-3 months away?" she asked.

Highlighting the plight of migrant workers from Bihar, Mohammad said over a crore people from the state are currently working in other parts of the country, especially Delhi and other metro cities. "These are poor, working-class people. Now you expect them to travel back to Bihar to submit documents like birth certificates and others? Who will pay for their tickets? Who will compensate for their lost wages?" she asked.

She further accused the BJP and the state administration of attempting to disenfranchise voters who are less likely to support the NDA.

“This is a targeted move. They know they are losing, so now they are trying to ensure that our voters — Muslims, Dalits, OBCs — are kept out of the rolls under the garb of verification,” she added.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the SIR process is a routine and structured exercise aimed at cleaning up the voter list and ensuring transparency. But the opposition, especially the Congress and the RJD, sees it differently.

As Bihar heads into a crucial election battle, the voter list revision exercise has become the latest political flashpoint, raising questions over fairness, timing, and intent.

--IANS

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