Cleaning electoral rolls not enough

With EC set to release the draft of Bihar's electoral rolls tomorrow, the Supreme Court's reluctance to stay the special intensive revision (SIR) is understandable. The poll panel is mandated to maintain up-to-date voter lists. Presumption of wrongdoing in discharging its duty can't be the default. Given the Constitution's promise of universal adult franchise, EC must ensure that inclusion - not exclusion - is its mantra.

Maintaining up-to-date, error-free electoral rolls requires the poll panel to remove deceased persons and voters who have migrated, as well as to eliminate duplicate and fake entries. EC faces an additional and real challenge of dealing with illegal migrants on the rolls. A sizeable section of the population does not possess birth certificate, naturalisation certificate or passport - three universally recognised citizenship documents. In such cases, inclusion in the rolls and elector photo identity card (EPIC) effectively become stand-in citizenship documents. This opens the possibility of 'offering' illegal migrants a fast track to citizenship in exchange for their vote.

The concern is not baseless - there is enough of anecdotal and empirical evidence. But it has often been weaponised by political parties across the spectrum. In negotiating this political minefield, the poll panel must stick to its mandate. Flagging cases involving fake documents for investigation and prosecution should focus on enablers and providers of those documents. This alone is not enough. Addressing the reality of illegal migration requires robust and humane border management, along with legal avenues for migration and asylum. Creating these systems falls within GoI's competence. And, if needed, it can override uncooperative state governments.