Under fire over problems during the Special Intensive Review of voter lists, the Election Commission on Saturday, September 26, announced a number of measures including additional time for filing claims, home visit by election officials and help desks for those facing notices for removal from the rolls.

On the row over alleged internal differences in the EC, Owaisi said the press release issued by the poll panel on Saturday gives the message that everything was fine. However, according to media reports, the two Election Commissioners stated they were not consulted or their consent was not taken, which is why they expressed their objections several times.

He claimed that a question arises after reading the EC’s press note on Saturday. “For example, if a son and father both have to submit Form 6 (about personal particulars), how should the latter furnish details when mapping with family members is to be established”, he asked.

On the EC announcing that the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would conduct home visits to collect and upload documents on its unified portal ECINet for unmapped persons or those with logical discrepancies, the AIMIM president said such visits are easier said than done.

“It is such a difficult thing for BLOs to issue notices, either in urban or rural areas,” he said.

On the poll panel’s statement that the letters sent by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to the Cabinet Secretary pertained to an officer on deputation, rather than policy or IT division matters, Owaisi said the EC is an autonomous body which could have repatriated the officer concerned.

More importantly, the legislation on the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner favours the ruling party as it replaced the Chief Justice of India in the Selection Committee with a union minister, he said.

The Hyderabad MP also claimed that a constructive and reliable caste census data may not come out of the Census being conducted by the Centre.

He said the caste survey conducted by the Revanth Reddy led government in Telangana was logical and concrete. The caste survey enabled the number of castes and their problems in Telangana (to be reflected) and it would have been good if the Census is done on similar lines.

“The way the (Centre) is doing it, I don’t think a concrete, constructive and reliable caste census data will come out of it (census),” he claimed.

Owaisi was reacting to a query on Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating in his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat that Census is a national responsibility, urging citizens to self-enumerate online to ensure accurate data for planning the nation’s future.

He further claimed there are several questions over caste census, including way the questionnaire has been prepared and asking the citizens to enter information for themselves. He, however, stressed that everyone should participate in the enumeration exercise.

Asked about the pocketless dress code reportedly introduced in the Ayodhya Ram temple following the donation row, Owaisi taunted, saying that the theft happened because of the pockets in the dress worn by the donation counting staff.

He said the SIT report into the allegations of theft should be made public