Take special steps to ensure no citizen is left out of the rolls during the SIR, CPI(M) urges government

Dakshina Kannada unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday, urged the State government take special steps so that no citizen is left out of the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the rolls being undertaken by the Election Commission of India.

A delegation led by CPI (M) District Secretary Muneer Katipalla submitted a memorandum in this regard to Deputy Commissioner H. V. Darshan here. The party said the SIR will start in the State from June 30, and since the Election Commission is following the extremely difficult method of self-certification of citizenship by voters and inclusion in the voter list, it is necessary to ensure no citizen is deprived of the voting right.

The appeal has urged the Chief Minister to take some important steps, including simplifying the rules for obtaining documents for those who are unable to provide even one of the 11 documents prescribed by the ECI and providing the documents quickly.

A statement here said the CPI(M) has taken in principle stand that the ECI has no right to conduct SIR as per various provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Yet, SIR is being conducted.

Many of the weaker sections including the poor, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, migrant workers are facing the threat of being excluded from the voter list due to this SIR rule. The Election Commission has implemented the “logical difference” criteria in Karnataka, which has not been implemented in any other State except West Bengal. Spelling mistakes, age difference between voters and parents, inter-caste, inter-religious marriages, and those suffering from child marriage may have to face immense problems due to logical differences.

In this context, the Party has demanded in the petition that certain specific steps be taken to ensure the rights of voters. District Committee members Sunil Kumar Bajal, Vasantha Achari, B. M. Bhat, Sukumar Thokkotu, Sadashiva Das, J. Balakrishna Shetty and Yogish Jappinamogaru were present.