How inclusive is EC’s special revision exercise? , Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Election Commission's (EC) special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar requires specific identity and citizenship proofs like birth certificates for voter list verification.
• A Lokniti-CSDS study across six states reveals that over half the respondents lack birth certificates, and many lack domicile or caste certificates.
• Roughly 5% of respondents lack any of the 11 documents mandated by the EC, with a disproportionate number from weaker economic sections, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
• Aadhaar, despite near-universal possession, was excluded by the EC from use in the SIR exercise in Bihar.

Detailed Insights:

• The SIR exercise aims to update electoral rolls, but concerns exist that it may exclude eligible voters due to stringent documentation requirements.
• Access to documentation varies widely across states due to differences in administrative infrastructure, record-keeping, literacy, and public awareness.
• Requiring birth certificates and parental citizenship proof disproportionately affects citizens from weaker sections who may face exclusion.
• The absence of parental birth certificates and SSC certificates is especially high in states like Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
• While Aadhaar is widely available, its exclusion from the SIR creates a barrier, particularly in states with limited alternative documents.
• The study highlights the need for government authorities to make special efforts to include all citizens in record-keeping functions.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Electoral Roll: List of persons registered to vote in an election.
• Domicile Certificate: Proof of residence in a particular state or territory.
• Aadhaar: A 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India.