Copyright thehindu
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) questioned the tenability of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls during peak monsoons alongside the “agenda of the Election Commission of India to order such an exercise in 12 States”. Participating in the all-party meeting convened by Collector C. Dinesh Kumar at the Collectorate on Wednesday, CPI(M)’s district secretariat member K.Mahalingam staunchly objected to the exercise and recorded their submissions. In line with the Left parties position on the SIR nationally, the CPI(M) and the CPI members here objected to SIR, questioning the tenability of such an exercise on a electorate roll exceeding 16 lakh voters in just one month. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Mahalingam raised doubts over the tenability of such a massive exercise when the monsoons have commenced. “They say, it has to start on November 4 and completed on December 4 with the final list released on December 9. In Bihar, 65 lakh voters were eliminated and the Supreme Court is still inconclusive about the Opposition’s objections even as the ECI is implementing this as a malafide exercise,” he said. “We have nationally disagreed with the process, even in Bihar and when those questions remain unsettled, they are now going to implement this in 12 other States,” Mr.Mahalingam added. “There is the NE monsoon, when 16 lakh voters should be met during the monsoons; forms should be given and collected,” the CPI(M) member said for Krishnagiri’s 6 Assembly segments. The Collector had responded to the objections stating that this was not the forum and their objections must be raised at the appropriate forum. “But, the Election Commission of India had initiated this exercise unilaterally without consulting political parties. Where was the forum to raise our objections, when the ECI denied that forum to the Opposition,” Mr.Mahalingam asked. However, the objections were recorded. The Left party members stopped short of a walkout and raised objections to SIR. However, the DMK represented by its Hosur MLA Y. Prakash did not raise any objections.
