“These leaders want to politicise the issue in favour of those who have been illegally added to the voter list,” Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) questioned the Opposition’s motive behind its call for a “Bihar bandh” on the issue of revision of the voter list in the State, even as the matter was scheduled for a hearing in the Supreme Court on Thursday (July 10, 2025).
“These people must either trust the judiciary or stick to the streets. When the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter tomorrow, then what is the purpose of taking to the streets today — is it an attempt to pressure the judiciary?” asked senior BJP MP and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, while speaking with the media.
Mr. Prasad wondered why the Opposition was against the revision of the voter list. “Do they want names to remain on the voter list that do not belong there, like infiltrators? Isn’t it true that sometimes Rohingyas or other such individuals illegally get their names added to the voter rolls? If the work is being done with full honesty, then what is the objection?” he asked.
“The message is clear. These leaders want to politicise the issue in favour of those who have been illegally added to the voter list. The simple truth is that they know they won’t win the Bihar elections, just as they were defeated in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Delhi,” Mr. Prasad said.
Stating that Bihar has 7.90 crore voters, he said, “Of these, four crore people have already submitted the enumeration form. This means more than 50% participation, and there are still 16 days remaining. The work is in progress and is moving swiftly. As for the documents, the Election Commission has clearly stated that those whose names were in the voter list till 2003 do not need to submit any documents, as there was a detailed revision at that time.”
Mr. Prasad said that after the revision process, the draft voter list would be published and time given for corrections. “If anyone has objections, they can apply for a hearing. If dissatisfied with the Returning Officer’s decision, they can appeal to the District Collector. If still unsatisfied, there is an option to appeal to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State,” he explained.
Published – July 09, 2025 07:45 pm IST
