AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of covertly implementing a National Register of Citizens (NRC)-like process in Bihar under the guise of voter verification ahead of the upcoming state elections.
In a sharp criticism posted on X, Owaisi alleged that the new voter roll verification rules demand citizens to furnish extensive documentation—proving not only their own birth details but also those of their parents—which, he warned, could disenfranchise large numbers of impoverished citizens, particularly in regions like flood-prone Seemanchal.
“The Election Commission is conducting NRC in Bihar through the backdoor,” Owaisi wrote. “People will now have to show documents not only for their birth but also for their parents’. This is a cruel joke, especially for Bihar’s poorest, who struggle daily and cannot be expected to possess such records.”
He cautioned that these requirements could result in the unjust removal of many citizens from the electoral rolls, thereby undermining the constitutional right to vote and eroding trust in the electoral process.
Owaisi also referenced a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that stressed the importance of due process in voter deletions. “In the Lal Babu Hussein case, the Supreme Court clearly stated that a voter cannot be removed without notice and that a limited set of documents is not sufficient to determine citizenship,” he pointed out.
According to Owaisi, the new verification rules require:
- Those born before July 1, 1987, to present one of 11 approved documents showing date/place of birth.
- Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, to prove both their own and one parent’s birth details.
- Individuals born after December 2, 2004, to submit birth records for themselves and both parents, with foreign parents required to provide passport and visa details valid at the time of birth.
He further criticized the EC’s plan to complete door-to-door verification in Bihar within a month, calling it unrealistic and discriminatory. “Bihar is one of the most populous and least connected states. Carrying out such a document-heavy verification process in such a short time is unjust and impractical.”
While state elections in Bihar are expected to be held in October or November, the Election Commission has not yet formally announced the dates. Owaisi’s remarks raise concerns about voter access and transparency in the lead-up to a crucial electoral contest.
