Lucknow – Dec 9 (LatestNewsX) – While MPs in the Lok Sabha are still debating electoral reforms, BSP chief Mayawati has called on the central government and the Election Commission to adopt three key measures that would bring greater transparency and protect voters’ rights.
She said the deadline for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter rolls is too short, overloading Booth Level Officers and risking the exclusion of real voters – especially the poor, migrant labourers and daily‑wage earners – from the lists.
In a detailed X post, Mayawati warned that rushing the SIR in a massive state like Uttar Pradesh, which has more than 15.4 crore voters and no elections in the near future, is unsuitable. She added that a hurried revision could deny many eligible citizens the right to vote, a right enshrined by Dr B.R. Ambedkar, and demanded the SIR timeline be extended without delay.
Mayawati also raised concerns about the Supreme Court‑mandated disclosure of criminal histories for candidates. Under current EC rules, candidates must publish their criminal records in affidavits and local newspapers, while parties are required to disseminate the same details nationwide.
She argued that candidates sometimes hide charges from their parties, leading to surprise discoveries during vetting and unfairly shifting the blame onto the party. “All formalities regarding criminal cases should be the sole responsibility of the candidate,” she said, adding: “If a candidate hides information about pending cases, all legal accountability should rest with them — not with the party.”
Reiterating her worries about Electronic Voting Machines, she insisted that to rebuild public confidence, the country should fall back on paper ballots. “If this is not immediately feasible, then at the very least, 100 per cent of VVPAT slips at every polling booth must be counted and matched with EVM data,” she urged.
Contrary to the Election Commission’s claim that this would delay results, Mayawati noted that if elections can already stretch over months, a few extra hours for a thorough tally is no problem. “This will strengthen public faith in the electoral system and eliminate doubts about the process. It is in the national interest,” she concluded.
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