Tripura Congress questions clarity in voter list revision process

The Tripura Congress on July 8 raised concerns over the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, alleging a lack of clarity from the state election authorities regarding the implementation of the exercise.

Addressing a press conference, Tripura Pradesh Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty described the issue as "very important" and said it required the cooperation of the people of the state. He urged the State Election Officer to ensure greater transparency in the voter verification process.

Chakraborty said the state Congress president had recently written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the State Election Officer seeking clarification on the SIR exercise. However, he claimed the party had received neither an acknowledgement nor any response.

Referring to the ECI's notification issued on May 14, Chakraborty said it had directed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to distribute unification forms door-to-door from June 30, collect the completed forms and prepare reports for the electoral authorities. According to him, the exercise was aimed at preparing the draft electoral roll, identifying foreign voters and removing illegal entries.

"We want a proper voter list across the country and in Tripura. The sanctity of elections must be protected," Chakraborty said, alleging that electoral irregularities had become a matter of concern.

He further claimed that during an all-party meeting convened by the State Election Commissioner following the Congress president's letter, no clear explanation was given regarding the party's communication. According to Chakraborty, the commissioner instead stated that the process would begin in September.

Targeting the ruling BJP, the Congress leader alleged that the party was attempting to influence the electoral process after losing public support. He also accused the Election Commission of favouring the BJP, an allegation that has been consistently denied by both the ruling party and the election authorities.

Questioning what he described as inconsistencies in the implementation of the SIR exercise, Chakraborty said different states appeared to be following different timelines. Citing Karnataka as an example, he claimed the process there involved door-to-door distribution of forms, publication of the draft electoral roll on August 5 and completion of the final voter list by October 7.

"If the Election Commission has one set of rules, why is the process being kept unclear in Tripura?" he asked.

Chakraborty said the Congress would meet the State Election Officer to seek clarification on the issue. "We will not allow votes to become a tool of manipulation in this state. The voter list must remain transparent and fair," he said.