Clean up the voter list urgently, but not the Bihar way

Why in the News?

• There is a critical need to clean up India’s voter lists to remove duplicates, fake, and ghost voters that undermine electoral integrity.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has acknowledged the seriousness of these faults, prompting calls for urgent reforms in electoral roll management.

Key Points and Analysis

• Problems with Voter Lists in India
  • Duplicate entries: Multiple voters have the same identification numbers, violating basic uniqueness criteria.
  • Mobile number manipulation: Cases where registered mobile numbers were changed without voter consent, allowing deletion of legitimate voters.
  • Data management failures: ECI’s database management shows incompetence, resulting in the presence of fake voters and duplicates.
  • Bihar-style Special Intensive Revision (SIR): The SIR exercise conducted in Bihar, which aimed to purge voter rolls quickly, was criticized for being rushed and partisan, causing genuine voters to be removed wrongfully.

• Why Bihar-Style SIR Is Problematic
  • Politicization and partisan bias taint the process, eroding trust in the ECI.
  • A hurried and sloppy approach leads to exclusion of genuine voters under the pretext of removing illegal migrants.
  • Effective voter list cleaning demands joint consultation with all political parties, transparent processes, and adherence to rules rather than diktats.

• Key Elements for Proper Voter List Management
  • Use of Aadhaar: Aadhaar-linked de-duplication is effective but must be handled judiciously, respecting the principle that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.
  • Data Accuracy and Monitoring: Avoid elementary system errors; strengthen technical competence in managing databases.
  • Door-to-door verification: Genuine voters should register by visiting households or centers, avoiding online-only self-registration which can be manipulated.
  • Comprehensive census approach: Like Telangana’s census of 3.5 crore people by visiting households within two months, avoiding rushed exercises.

• Role of Election Commission of India (ECI)
  • The ECI must act as an impartial and competent body overseeing voter list management.
  • It should conduct transparent consultations with all political parties to maintain credibility.
  • ECI should publish machine-readable, consolidated data post-cleanup to ensure accountability.
  • The Bihar experience revealed how rushed voter roll cleaning without inclusion of opposition parties can lead to controversies and loss of democratic trust.
• Political Dimensions
  • Opposition parties have raised valid concerns about mass addition of fake voters, especially citing Maharashtra’s Assembly elections.
  • Joint efforts and dialogue with all stakeholders are imperative.
  • Proper documentation and recording of all consultation meetings must be ensured to add transparency.

• Conclusion: Way Forward
  • India urgently needs to clean up its voter list to protect the sanctity of elections but must avoid hasty, partisan methods like Bihar’s SIR.
  • Robust use of technology (Aadhaar linkage) combined with governance reforms including inclusive consultation, door-to-door verification, and public transparency are essential.
  • The ECI’s role must be strengthened as a credible, non-partisan institution ensuring every genuine voter is protected.
  • Lessons from past failures must shape a fair, technical, and democratic voter management system to uphold electoral integrity.

Source:  Clean up the voter list urgently, but not the Bihar way – The Hindu

UPSC CSE PYQ

Year	Question
2022	Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct.
2021	The role played by the Election Commission of India has bestowed a very high level of confidence in the minds of Indian citizens in ensuring the purity of the elected legislative bodies in the country. Critically examine.