Tue Jul 01 11:35:56 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten news article based on it:
**Summary:**
CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya criticizes the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, calling it arbitrary, ill-planned, and confusing. He argues that asking voters to prove their citizenship is unprecedented and places an unfair burden on citizens, especially those without necessary documents. Bhattacharya questions the lack of consultation with political parties prior to the announcement and suggests the exercise risks disenfranchising a significant number of voters. He urges the ECI to withdraw the special drive and conduct elections based on normal electoral roll updates. The ECI defends the revision, citing the need to remove ineligible voters and maintain demographic integrity.
**News Article:**
**CPI(ML) Leader Condemns Bihar Voter Roll Revision, Cites Potential Disenfranchisement**
**New Delhi, July 1, 2025** – A leading communist leader has sharply criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, raising concerns about potential disenfranchisement and lack of transparency.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, General Secretary of the CPI(ML) Liberation, issued a statement today calling the ECI’s efforts to clarify the process “confusing and misleading.” He asserted that the requirement for voters to prove their citizenship is unprecedented and places an undue burden on citizens, particularly those who lack the necessary documentation.
“Never before in India were electors asked to prove their citizenship,” Bhattacharya stated. “The onus was on the state to prove otherwise.” He argued that the ECI’s initiative effectively doubts every voter and risks excluding a significant portion of the electorate from participating in the upcoming elections.
Bhattacharya also questioned the ECI’s decision to launch the special revision without prior consultation with political parties. “Why did the ECI want to catch voters off guard?” he asked, drawing a parallel to the government’s demonetization policy.
The CPI(ML) leader urged the ECI to abandon the “arbitrary and utterly ill-planned” revision and revert to the standard practice of updating electoral rolls. He emphasized the importance of facilitating voter participation rather than creating obstacles.
The ECI defended its decision, citing the need to remove ineligible voters and ensure the demographic integrity of certain constituencies. Officials stated that the revision is mandated by Article 326 to ensure only eligible citizens are on the voters’ list.
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