EC couldn't tell how many non-citizens removed from Bihar electoral roll: Cong
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New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday said much was made of the need of the SIR exercise to remove non-citizens from the electoral roll but the Election Commission has not had the integrity or the courage to enlighten the country on how many such non-citizens in Bihar were removed from the voter list.
The opposition party also said if the poll body had informed as to how many such non-citizens in Bihar were removed from the electoral roll, it would have been even more exposed than it already is.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that the Supreme Court hearing on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) resumes Tuesday.
He also shared on X an analysis of the SIR exercise published in a newspaper.
"This fine analysis shows that the entire SIR exercise bulldozed through by the Election Commission has failed on all three counts of completeness, equity, and accuracy," Ramesh said.
"Much was made of the need of the SIR exercise to remove non-citizens from the electoral roll. The EC has not had the integrity or the courage to enlighten the country on how many such non-citizens in Bihar were removed from the electoral roll," he said.
"If it had done so, it would have been even more exposed than it already is," Ramesh added.
The EC's SIR exercise in Bihar has drawn sharp protests from the Opposition, which has accused the poll body of working at the behest of the ruling BJP, a charge it has flatly rejected.
The Commission has asserted that it will not allow any eligible citizen to be left out of the voters' list and at the same time, not let any ineligible person be on the list.
Bihar will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11 and votes will be counted on November 14 to decide the fate of the ruling NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the challenge posed by the opposition bloc comprising the RJD and Congress among others.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
