"Should have knowledge of Constitution": Union Minister Giriraj Singh slams Opposition for raising questions over Bihar SIR

Giriraj Singh said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is doing their job according to the Constitution.

Speaking to reporters, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "I think those (opposition) raising such questions should have knowledge of the Constitution. The Election Commission is doing its job. In Bihar, the Election Commission is doing exactly what the Constitution says."

He added that the ECI is working in the national interest.

"They have only asked two questions: Are they (voters) Indian citizens or not? Are they fake or genuine?... The Election Commission is working in the interest of the country," Union Minister Singh said.

Union Minister Satish Chandra Dubey also launched an attack against the Opposition and said, "The opposition is protesting as they don't trust the voters of the nation; they trust those with no record...They only trust those who have come from outside and settled here illegally."

The Opposition is looking to raise the issue in the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

Earlier today, Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain moved a notice of motion in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls in Bihar, conducted months ahead of the legislative assembly elections in the state.

In a notice given to the General Secretary of the Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States (Rajya Sabha), the Congress MP urged the house to discuss the concerns arising out of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.

The notice reads, "That this House suspend Zero Hour and the relevant rules pertaining to Question Hour and other businesses of the day to discuss the concerns arising out of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar ahead of elections followed by a plan to conduct a similar exercise nation-wide including disenfranchisement of a large sections of the poor and marginalized, directly undermine the citizen's fundamental right to vote and erode the fairness and integrity of our electoral system."

Meanwhile, RJD MLA Tejashwi Yadav on Monday demanded a discussion on the ongoing SIR exercise in the Bihar Assembly Session.

Speaking to the reporters, Tejashwi Yadav said, "The Assembly session has started today... Our demand is that a discussion on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) should be held in the Legislative Assembly."

He added that the party will fight to ensure no poor voter is deprived of their right to vote.

"Bihar is the cradle of democracy, and if anyone tries to end democracy here, we will not sit quietly. We will fight this battle to ensure that our poor are not deprived of their voting rights and their existence is not erased," Yadav said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar ahead of the Assembly Elections in the state later this year. (ANI)