New Delhi – Opposition INDIA bloc MPs staged a protest in front of Parliament’s makar Dwar on tuesday, wearing t-shirts emblazoned with teh name “Minta Devi” and the phrase “124 Not Out.” The exhibition was sparked by concerns over alleged irregularities in Bihar’s recently released draft voter list, specifically the inclusion of Minta Devi, listed as a 124-year-old voter.

Minta Devi,a resident of Bihar’s Vaishali district,was highlighted by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a presentation on alleged voter fraud. gandhi pointed to her listing in the draft voter roll as evidence of systemic errors, noting her age exceeded that of the world’s oldest verified person, Maria Branyas Morera, who is 117 years old.

The t-shirts worn by protesting MPs served as a visual portrayal of their concerns.the back of the shirts featured “124 not Out,” referencing Minta devi’s listed age. Congress MP Manickam Tagore stated the protest aimed to expose the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) failures under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging the ECI had become “a department of the BJP.” Tagore emphasized that Minta Devi is a first-time voter, contradicting the listed age.

prominent opposition leaders participating in the protest included Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge,Congress Parliamentary Party Chief sonia Gandhi,Trinamool Congress’s Derek O’Brien,Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s TR Baalu,and Nationalist Congress Party (SP)’s Supriya Sule. The protest follows Monday’s events where Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc MPs where detained by Delhi Police while attempting to march to the ECI office to protest the alleged irregularities.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, conducted between november 28, 2023, and january 22, 2024, has been the focal point of the opposition’s concerns. The Congress alleges the draft list contains numerous “fake names” and represents a “fake voter list.” The ECI has not yet issued a formal response to the specific allegations regarding Minta Devi or the broader claims of irregularities.

Context: The integrity of India’s electoral rolls is crucial for ensuring free and fair elections. The ECI regularly undertakes revisions of voter lists to account for births, deaths, and migration.The SIR process is a more intensive revision aimed at cleaning up the rolls and ensuring accuracy. Allegations of inaccuracies or fraudulent entries can undermine public trust in the electoral process and raise concerns about the legitimacy of election outcomes. The current controversy highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the use of technology and data management in maintaining accurate voter lists, and the challenges of verifying voter facts in a country with a large and diverse population.