Bogus Voter Cleanup: Arunachal BJP Defends Special Intensive Revision Amid Opposition Row
Arunachal Pradesh BJP defends the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls against opposition protests, citing the need to remove bogus entries.
The political atmosphere in Arunachal Pradesh has heated up as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) threw its full weight behind the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, dismissing opposition concerns as politically motivated attempts to create chaos. The move comes amidst heightened sensitivities regarding illegal migration and the need for a clean, authentic voter database.
BJP Champions Electoral Integrity
Speaking at an Extended District Executive Meeting in Seppa, East Kameng district, Tadar Niglar, the State General Secretary of the BJP, emphasized that the SIR is essential to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process. He argued that maintaining an accurate and updated voter list is not an arbitrary act but a necessary administrative duty.
Niglar pointed out that the Special Intensive Revision is conducted strictly under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. He provided a historical context, noting that intensive revisions have been a part of the Indian electoral system since 1952, with eight such exercises conducted to date, including the current one initiated in 2025.
The Numbers: Who Was Removed?
To justify the scale of the operation, Tadar Niglar cited staggering figures regarding the names deleted during the current exercise. According to the data provided, approximately 13.30 crore names were removed from the rolls, categorized as follows:
- Deceased Voters: 2.8 crore
- Shifted Voters: 6.3 crore (those moving from temporary or workplace polling stations to permanent addresses)
- Duplicate Entries: 1 crore
- Untraceable Voters: 3 crore
A Structured Process, Not an Arbitrary One
Addressing claims that the process was unfair, the BJP leader detailed the rigorous, multi-step procedure followed by election officials to ensure transparency:
- Agent Appointment: Political parties first submit names for Booth Level Agents (BLA-1 and BLA-2).
- Training: These agents are trained in coordination with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and election officials.
- Notification: The Election Commission of India notifies citizens of the enrollment process via online and offline modes.
- Field Verification: BLOs conduct household visits—up to three times—to verify the information provided.
- Draft Publication: A draft roll is published after briefing party representatives through the Chief Electoral Officer's office.
- Claims and Objections: Voters and parties can file claims or corrections using Forms 6, 7, and 8.
- Finalization: After necessary hearings, the final electoral roll is published.
Niglar asserted his firsthand knowledge of this process, noting that the BJP had actively conducted training for its own BLA agents and karyakartas.
Clash with the Opposition
The BJP leader did not mince words while criticizing the pushback from the INDI alliance, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), as well as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). He described their protests as "politically motivated" and accused them of trying to incite anarchy and political chaos rather than engaging with the system.
"Is it wrong to remove bogus or duplicate voter entries from electoral rolls? Is it wrong to verify the eligibility of voters?"
Niglar suggested that the opposition's reliance on street protests and disruptions is a reflection of their frustration over their dwindling political prospects, claiming they are merely seeking an unfair political advantage.