**Burqa-Clad Voters’ Identification Must During Bihar Polls: BJP Chief**
*By Snehil Singh | Oct 05, 2025, 10:44 AM*
Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Dilip Jaiswal has stirred controversy by urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify the identity of burqa-clad voters during the upcoming Bihar elections.
Jaiswal made this demand following a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He emphasized the need for strict verification, stating, “Tallying of faces of voters, especially burqa-clad women, must be ensured with respective EPIC cards so that only genuine voters get to exercise their franchise.”
**Opposition Response: RJD Calls It a Political Conspiracy**
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bihar’s main opposition party, strongly criticized Jaiswal’s remarks. RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha described the BJP chief’s call as a “political conspiracy.”
He further pointed out that a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls had recently been completed, and fresh EPIC cards with updated photographs were being issued to all voters. “Identification of voters is no big deal,” Kushwaha added, suggesting that electoral integrity measures are already in place.
**Official Backing: Deputy CM Supports Demand**
Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha backed Jaiswal’s proposal, drawing parallels between burqa-clad women and Hindu women who wear veils. He remarked, “According to the Constitution, the law should be the same for all.”
Sinha also noted that female election officers would be responsible for verifying the faces of female voters and emphasized that any decision made by the Election Commission would be final.
**Consensus on Election Phases: RJD and BJP Align**
Interestingly, both the BJP and RJD agree on conducting the Bihar elections in one or two phases without unnecessary staggering. They have jointly urged the ECI to avoid a prolonged election process.
Additionally, the RJD suggested scheduling the polls after the Chhath festival, which falls at the end of October this year.
**Support from Smaller Parties**
Smaller parties, including Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and CPI(ML) Liberation, have also expressed support for holding two-phase elections.
The BJP proposed deploying paramilitary forces in villages with vulnerable populations to ensure voter safety during the polls.
Meanwhile, the RJD demanded greater transparency from the ECI concerning the revision of electoral rolls. They also called for publishing a list of sensitive polling booths to prevent any voter intimidation.
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The upcoming Bihar elections are shaping up to be a focal point of discussions on voter identification and election security, with political parties expressing varying views on how best to ensure a fair and transparent voting process.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/bihar-polls-bjp-chief-s-burqa-verification-demand-triggers-row/story
