New Delhi, 17 Aug

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is aimed at removing all shortcomings in voters lists and it is a matter of grave concern that some parties are spreading misinformation about it, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gynaesh Kumar said on Sunday as the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties launched Voter Adhikar Yatra in poll-bound Bihar against alleged ‘vote chori’.

Addressing a press conference, the CEC rejected as baseless the allegations of double voting and vote theft and asserted that all stakeholders are working to make SIR a success in a transparent manner.

“It is a matter of grave concern that some parties and their leaders are spreading misinformation on SIR in Bihar. EC exhorts all political parties to file claims and objections on draft electoral rolls in Bihar… 15 days are still remaining. Doors of the Election Commission are open to everyone, and booth-level officers and agents are working together in a transparent manner,” he said.

Kumar said the EC cannot discriminate among political parties, and both ruling and opposition parties are equal before the poll authority.

“It is an insult to the Indian Constitution if election petitions are not filed within 45 days but allegations of vote chori are raised,” he said.

Neither the EC nor the voters are scared of "baseless allegations" of double voting and "vote chori", Kumar asserted, adding that the Election Commission will remain steadfast with voters of all classes without bothering about politics being played by some.

The comments come as the Opposition stepped up its attack against the poll roll revision in Bihar and on the allegations of ‘vote chori’ raised by Congress.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the whole country now knows that the Election Commission is "stealing" elections in collusion with the BJP and asserted that the INDIA bloc will not let them succeed in their "conspiracy" to steal Bihar Assembly polls by voter additions and deletions through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

He was addressing a gathering in Sasaram at the launch event of his 1,300 km 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' covering over 20 districts in Bihar.