GUWAHATI: Amid concerns over illegal migration, the BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh unit has backed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure accurate voter records.
In the ethnically diverse state, some view SIR as a means of keeping “outsiders” at bay and preventing future friction over land and identity.
Speaking at a party meeting in East Kameng district, BJP’s Arunachal general secretary Tadar Niglar advocated for the SIR of electoral rolls, stressing the importance of maintaining correct and updated voter lists to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
He emphasised that electoral roll revision is a structured process and should not be misrepresented as an arbitrary exercise. He maintained that procedural safeguards involved in SIR demonstrate the importance of verification, transparency and opportunities for eligible voters to raise claims or objections before the final electoral roll is published.
Niglar criticised the protests staged by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the INDIA bloc, terming their “disruptive actions” as politically motivated. He alleged that the Opposition was attempting to create political chaos and anarchy in the country rather than engaging constructively with the electoral revision process.
He further asserted that their actions reflected frustration over their political prospects and accused them of seeking political advantage through street protests and disruption.
“Is it wrong to remove bogus or duplicate voter entries from electoral rolls or verify the eligibility of voters whose particulars cannot be established through the prescribed verification process?” he asked the opposition parties.
He stressed that the objective of electoral roll revision should be to ensure that every eligible Indian citizen is properly registered and that electoral rolls remain free from duplicate and ineligible entries, while protecting the rights of genuine voters.
Niglar called upon BJP workers to communicate SIR’s objectives and procedures to the people responsibly to help them understand the importance of accurate electoral rolls and a transparent democratic process.
The frontier state of Arunachal is protected under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime, along with Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. The ILP is an official travel document that outsiders are required to obtain to visit these protected states for a limited period. There have been demands in the state for stricter enforcement of the ILP regime.