Dr Farooq questions ECI’s voter drive in Bihar, highlighting migrant workers’ plight

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today raised concerns over the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) latest directives on voter enrolment, questioning how millions of migrant workers from Bihar would access necessary documents and complete formalities for enrolment. His remarks come in the backdrop of the ECI’s push to update electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar which has triggered a political storm. “There are elections in Bihar. The Election Commission of India issued an order.. Now tell me more than 1.50 crore Biharis are working outside (their state). How will they fill the form (for enrolment)? How will they vote? Where will they get their photos? And where will they get the certificates for their deceased parents?” Abdullah asked. Talking to reporters at Kulgam in south Kashmir, the former J&K chief minister said when the Constitution was framed by B R Ambedkar, everyone had a right to vote. “Then it was amended to give voting rights to 18 year olds and above. Today, they (ECI) has brought a new law which is against the Constitution. They are trying to please their master. To please their master, they are ready to sacrifice everything,” he added. Abdullah said this was not acceptable to the people of India. “If they push it through, then there will be an agitation to save the Constitution and it will be bigger than earlier agitation. May Allah give them wisdom,” he said.