Now, Prove Your Identity
(Source: The Indian Express, Editorial Page)
Also Read: The Indian Express Editorial Analysis: 08 July 2025
Also Read: The Hindu Editorial Analysis: 08 July 2025
| Topic: GS Paper 2: Governance, Constitution, Polity, and Social Justice |
| Context |
|
Electoral Integrity vs. Democratic Access
- The ECI’s intent behind SIR is to clean the electoral rolls and verify the legitimacy of voters. However, the process demands at least one out of eleven documents, including birth certificates of parents (pre-1997), land records, or Class 10/12 certificates.
- Such a process severely affects marginalized groups — including daily wage workers, women, SC/ST populations, migrants, and those living in flood-prone or rural areas — who may not possess these documents due to historic administrative neglect.
Echoes of NRC: Structural and Social Disempowerment
- The documentation burden mirrors the NRC in Assam, where many genuine citizens were excluded due to lack of proper papers.
- The requirement disproportionately favors those with access to state services, formal education, or inherited property, penalizing the poor for the state’s past failures in service delivery.
- This builds a structure of exclusion through bureaucracy, where the default assumption is that a citizen is illegal unless proven otherwise.
Constitutional Concerns: Article 326 and Universal Franchise
- The Constitution guarantees universal adult suffrage under Article 326, subject only to residence, age, and non-disqualification.
- The current documentation regime imposes additional barriers not envisioned in the Constitution, threatening the democratic rights of large sections of the population.
- It sets a dangerous precedent where procedural rigidity overrides the spirit of constitutional democracy.
Administrative Failures and Electoral Timing
- With elections weeks away, the rollout is rushed, leaving little time for redressal or awareness.
- There is no robust grievance redressal mechanism or field-level sensitization among officials, increasing the risk of arbitrary deletions.
- Lack of public communication aggravates confusion and panic, especially in rural districts with poor literacy and limited digital access.
Learning from Assam NRC and Ensuring Procedural Justice
- NRC in Assam revealed the catastrophic human cost of bureaucratic rigidity — over 19 lakh people were left out despite legitimate claims.
- Without procedural safeguards, transparency, and judicial oversight, such exercises become exclusionary rather than inclusive.
- Election authorities must prioritize inclusion and accessibility rather than aggressive “cleansing” of rolls without community engagement.
Comparison – SIR in Bihar vs NRC in Assam
| Parameter | SIR in Bihar (2025) | NRC in Assam (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Electoral roll cleansing | Identification of Indian citizens |
| Document Requirements | 11 pre-specified IDs including parental birth proof | Legacy documents before 1971, family linkage required |
| Affected Populations | Women, SC/ST, poor, flood-prone residents | Migrants, poor, women, linguistic minorities |
| Timeframe | Weeks before elections | Multi-year process with judicial review |
| Legal Backing | ECI directive | Supreme Court-monitored process |
| Grievance Redressal | Minimal field mechanisms | Foreigners Tribunal provision |
Way Forward/Conclusion
The electoral roll revision in Bihar is a cautionary tale about how bureaucratic overreach, if unchecked, can undermine democratic inclusion. While maintaining voter roll integrity is necessary, it must not come at the cost of disenfranchising vulnerable citizens. The Election Commission must adopt a humane, inclusive, and legally sound approach.
Going forward:
- Documentation norms must be relaxed or diversified, recognizing India’s informal social reality.
- Public awareness campaigns and simplified verification options can reduce panic and misinformation.
- Grievance redressal systems, field-level training, and real-time monitoring must be institutionalized.
- Electoral processes must reflect the constitutional ethos of universal access, not become instruments of exclusion.
| Practice Question: (GS-2 | 15 Marks | 250 Words) In the context of recent electoral roll revisions in Bihar, critically examine the constitutional, administrative, and ethical implications of demanding documentary proof for voting eligibility. Suggest reforms to ensure electoral inclusion without compromising integrity. |
