Mamata Banerjee questions ECI's new electoral roll revision guidelines before Bihar polls

Kolkata, June 26 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, questioned the fresh electoral roll revision guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) before the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar scheduled this year.

She also expressed apprehension that these fresh guidelines might be another step towards the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

She further claimed that although these fresh guidelines have been issued before the Bihar assembly polls, the main target of these new guidelines is West Bengal, which is also going for crucial assembly polls next year.

The Chief Minister specially questioned the new guidelines that bar enrolment in the voters’ list without specific citizenship proof, mandatory furnishing of the place of birth for those whose names were not there in the voters’ list in 2003, mandatory furnishing of documents on places and dates of birth for those before July 1, 1987, and submission of related documents of parents for those born after July 1, 1987.

“Actually, the Union government, through ECI, is targeting West Bengal, keeping Bihar as a shield. A BJP alliance government is already in Bihar. They will not do anything there. They are actually trying to target West Bengal and migrant workers. The commission is acting on the directions of the BJP,” said the Chief Minister.

She was in Digha in the East Midnapore district to participate in the Ratha Yatra festival of the newly inaugurated Lord Jagannath.

The temple, however, is officially termed as Shree Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre.

She said that the ECI should not have issued these fresh electoral roll revision guidelines without consulting the different registered political parties in the country.

“India is a democratic nation. The system of federal democracy prevails here,” the Chief Minister said.

She said that the new guideline, which makes it mandatory for those born after July 1, 1987, to submit the birth-related documents of their parents, is an absurd proposition.

“It is not necessary that everyone has all birth-related documents of their parents. Even I am not quite sure of the exact dates of birth of my parents,” the Chief Minister said.

Thereafter, she claimed that she had doubts that, using these fresh guidelines, the Union government was once again proceeding towards the implementation of NRC.

--IANS

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