An economist has raised concerns that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls could disenfranchise marginalized sections of the population, creating two classes of citizens.
He questioned the Home Minister’s remarks about deleted voters being ‘illegal infiltrators,’ suggesting that if this were true, past elections and governments formed since 2014 could be considered irregular. The commentator challenged the government to resign and hold elections after purifying the voter list.
The process has been criticized for its loopholes and the decline in voter numbers across states. Concerns were also raised about the lack of a list of identified illegal immigrants, despite a Supreme Court order.
Academics and activists have voiced fears that the SIR process could endanger democracy, likening it to demonetization and suggesting it may lead to voter profiling and surveillance. They called for the process to be scrapped and for public hearings to be conducted.
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Source: thehindu.com
