Purification of voter lists process to strengthen democracy; weakening credibility of constitutional institutions in name of political opposition unfortunate
Prayagraj: Rajnikant Srivastava, provincial coordinator of the Bharatiya Janata Party NGO Cell, Kashi Province, said that the Election Commission is an important constitutional institution of the country, whose impartiality, independence and dignity are extremely essential for the strengthening of democracy. On the questions being raised by the opposition regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, he said that in a democratic system, any decision should be criticized on the basis of facts, constitutional provisions and legal process, and not by questioning the credibility of constitutional institutions motivated by political malice.
Shri Srivastava stated that the democratically elected government and the independent Election Commission have distinct constitutional roles. Making unsubstantiated allegations about the Election Commission’s impartiality in a political effort to discredit the government undermines democratic discourse. If the opposition has objections to any rule or procedure, it should present its views with evidence in the appropriate legal forum. Spreading confusion and creating public distrust solely for the sake of political opposition is not appropriate.
He stated that the Special Intensive Revision of the Electoral Roll is an important process to protect the rights of genuine voters, remove the names of deceased voters, identify duplicate entries, and update the list in situations such as change of location. Its objective should be to ensure that every eligible Indian citizen has the right to vote and that there are no irregularities in the electoral roll. Furthermore, no eligible citizen’s name should be unfairly deleted solely due to technical difficulties or lack of documents. A fair revision should also ensure transparency, a fair hearing, and an opportunity for appeal.
Rajnikant Srivastava stated that the Citizenship Act and rules related to voter registration should be interpreted in accordance with legal provisions and court directives. Any legal dispute regarding the requirement of Form 6 or parental documents should be resolved through a competent judicial forum or the prescribed statutory process. Debating the validity of a rule and questioning the Election Commission’s intentions are two different matters. While the process may require improvement, it is not appropriate to question the impartiality of the entire institution.
He said that India’s democracy is strengthened not just by holding elections, but by public trust, constitutional norms, and respect for institutions. It is the opposition’s responsibility to present its views based on facts and contribute to strengthening the democratic process, rather than spreading confusion among the public. Similarly, it is the Election Commission’s responsibility to ensure a fair, transparent, and accountable process while protecting the rights of every eligible voter.
Shrivastava said that political differences are part of democracy, but undermining the dignity of constitutional institutions is not justified under any circumstances. If a decision is flawed, it can be challenged within the legal framework. In a democracy, no institution should be considered beyond question, nor should allegations be leveled against it without evidence.
Finally, he appealed to the countrymen to form their opinions on matters related to the revision of the voter list based only on official information and verified facts. The true hallmark of a strong, fair, and healthy democracy is the protection of the right to vote for every eligible citizen, the transparency of the voter list, and the maintenance of public confidence in the electoral process.
