GANGTOK, SEP 28:
The BJP’s Sikkim unit on Monday backed the EC’s recent clarification on the SIR of electoral rolls, rejecting allegations of manipulation and malpractice levelled by the Congress and other opposition parties.
Party spokesperson Pasang Gyali Sherpa said the Election Commission’s joint statement had addressed several “misleading narratives” surrounding the electoral process and the SIR exercise.
“The Election Commission (EC) has categorically affirmed that all major operational and regulatory decisions, including the SIR, were taken with the unanimous approval of the full Commission,” Sherpa said in a statement.
He said the EC had also clarified that its communication to the Cabinet Secretary concerned an internal administrative matter involving an officer on deputation and had no connection with the commission’s policy, IT division or the SIR process.
Sherpa said the declaration accompanying Form-6 for the SIR had been examined and upheld by the Supreme Court, while statutory procedures under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, continued to remain in force for non-SIR revisions.
He also pointed to measures announced by the EC to maximise voter participation, including dedicated outreach camps for labourers, homeless citizens and residents of night shelters, besides door-to-door efforts by Booth Level Officers to collect forms and facilitate enrolment of eligible voters.
Referring specifically to the SIR exercise in Sikkim, Sherpa said all registered political parties had been asked to nominate Booth Level Agents and BLA-2 representatives at every polling booth.
“The mechanism was specifically intended to facilitate verification and examination of electoral details and provide every recognised political party an equal opportunity to assist the Booth Level Officer in the process,” he said.
Sherpa rejected allegations that the BJP had manipulated or otherwise interfered with the revision process, describing them as “completely baseless and devoid of factual foundation”.
“Such allegations cannot substitute for evidence and should not be used to mislead the public or undermine confidence in the electoral process,” he said.
The BJP spokesperson said democratic institutions should be respected and political discourse should be based on verified facts rather than unsubstantiated allegations.
“The poll panel’s clarification provides important factual context, and we urge all political parties and stakeholders to respect constitutional institutions and established legal procedures,” Sherpa said. (Source: PTI)
