Sri Vijaya Puram, Sep 26: CPI (M), Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee opposed the Bihar model Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls of Andaman & Nicobar Parliamentary Constituency. In a letter sent to the Chief Electoral Officer, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) Andaman & Nicobar State Organising Committee stated that in the meeting of political parties convened by the CEO recently at his chamber CPI (M) had pointed out the difficulties which will be faced by the people of these islands if the Bihar model SIR is adopted. Unlike the earlier occasions when the voters were required to inform the election official during house to house visit the names and other details, the proposed SIR in 2025 will be a cumbersome procedure, putting the citizens to great difficulties.
As per the Bihar Model of SIR which the Election Commission of India proposes to adopt in A & N islands, every citizen who has completed the age of 18 years has to fill up a form (Enumeration Form) to be supplied by the election officials along with the proof of place of birth/date of birth. Those who were born from 01.07.1987 to 02.12.2004, in addition to the documents of place of birth/date of birth, documents of place of birth/date of birth of father or mother should also be furnished. For those who were born after 2nd December, 2004, in addition to the documents of place of birth/date of birth, the documents of place of birth/date of birth of both father and mother should be submitted.
CPI (M) Secretary said that with the introduction of the above procedure, citizens, particularly those who were born after 1987, will be facing hardship to furnish the documents of the date of birth/place of birth of the parents. Since the time for completing the special intensive revision will be for one month only, a large number of citizens who have gone to mainland for various purposes or unavailable in the respective place of stay will be left out of this exercise. Especially, the young people/students of these islands who are in mainland India or in foreign countries for the purpose of higher studies or jobs will be put into more hardship to submit their forms, resulting in the exclusion of their names from the electoral rolls. Ayyappan told the Chief Electoral Officer that the geographical condition of the union territory is also not conducive for conducting this exercise of special intensive revision on the Bihar model.
CPI (M) is of the firm belief that the Bihar Model SIR is being carried out in the islands to exclude a large number of people staying in the islands for several years, he stated in the letter.
CPI (M) Secretary has requested the Chief Electoral Officer, A & N Islands to convey the opinion of the CPI (M) A & N State Organising Committee to the Election Commission of India, New Delhi and desist from going ahead with the Special Intensive Revision on the Bihar model in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
