NEW DELHI, Sept 3:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has stepped up his attack on the BJP and Election Commission after more than 2.06 crore voters were excluded from Maharashtra’s draft electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Gandhi accused the BJP and what he called the “Vote Chori Aayog” of repeatedly changing their tactics with the aim of ensuring a BJP victory and alleged that the exercise posed a threat to democracy.
According to election authorities, Maharashtra had 9.78 crore voters before the SIR, while more than 7.71 crore names figure in the draft roll. The 2,06,88,487 excluded electors account for 21.14 per cent of the previous electorate.
Officials said the enumeration forms of the excluded voters could not be collected because some were untraceable, deceased or had shifted residence. The category also includes duplicate registrations, voters registered elsewhere and those who did not submit the required forms.
Gandhi cited the voter-list controversies in Maharashtra and West Bengal to allege that voters were being wrongly removed. The Election Commission, meanwhile, has provided an opportunity for eligible voters to seek inclusion.
Claims and objections can be filed between August 31 and September 30. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4.These can also be tightened into with sharper headlines and shorter paragraphs.