Itanagar, Oct 29 (PTI) Union Minister Pabitra Margherita on Thursday accused the Congress of politicising the SIR of electoral rolls and thanked the people of Arunachal Pradesh for cooperating with the verification process.
Talking to reporters at the BJP state headquarters here, Margherita, who is minister of state for external affairs and textiles, said electoral roll revision was a routine exercise aimed at ensuring the accuracy and transparency of voter records.
On the occasion, the party launched its campaign on the issue under the slogan, ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’, in the presence of BJP chief spokesperson and Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi.
The minister said electoral roll revisions had been undertaken under successive governments, including those led by the Congress, and questioned the opposition party’s criticism of the current exercise.
He alleged that the Congress was turning an administrative and constitutional process into a political controversy instead of raising specific concerns through established channels.
Citing figures, the minister said around 22 per cent of entries had been removed from the existing electoral rolls in the state following verification.
The entries included those relating to deceased voters, people who had shifted residence, individuals whose whereabouts could not be established and duplicate registrations, he said.
Margherita thanked residents across communities and political affiliations for their cooperation, saying their participation had helped facilitate the exercise.
Emphasising the need for accurate electoral rolls, he said periodic verification was necessary to identify duplicate registrations and update records when voters changed residence.
The minister, at the same time, stressed that eligible citizens should not lose their voting rights due to administrative or clerical errors.
Voters whose names had been wrongly omitted could approach the electoral authorities for inclusion or correction through the prescribed procedures, he said.
Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party leadership, Margherita questioned their criticism of electoral procedures and institutions.
He urged the Congress to substantiate its concerns with evidence and pursue legal remedies rather than create confusion, while asserting that the Election Commission must be allowed to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.
The minister said electoral roll verification was intended to improve the accuracy of voter records and should not be conflated with election outcomes, which are determined by voters.
He reiterated the BJP’s commitment to electoral transparency and the protection of eligible voters’ rights, and appealed to citizens to verify their electoral details and seek corrections or inclusion wherever necessary.
Margherita also acknowledged the contribution of election officials, booth-level officers, political representatives, civil society organisations and citizens to the exercise, describing public cooperation as important for the effective functioning of electoral processes.
(PTI News)
