The Supreme Court on Tuesday began hearing petitions challenging the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, amid concerns over errors affecting voter rights. Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi pressed the poll panel for clarity on the contentious process.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing RJD leader Manoj Jha, pointed out discrepancies, noting that in one constituency, 12 living individuals were wrongly listed as dead, while in another, living voters were incorrectly marked deceased. Rakesh Dwivedi, defending the Election Commission, acknowledged “some defects” in the draft roll but argued these could be corrected before the final roll’s release on September 30.
The bench directed the poll panel to provide detailed data, including voter numbers before and after the SIR, details on deceased voters, and other key metrics. “Be ready with facts and figures,” the justices instructed.
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On July 29, the Supreme Court warned it would act swiftly if the SIR caused “mass exclusion” of voters, stressing the Election Commission’s constitutional duty to act lawfully. The draft roll, published on August 1, has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who fear it could disenfranchise millions in poll-bound Bihar.
On July 10, the court allowed the SIR to continue but urged the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar, voter IDs, and ration cards as valid documents to ensure inclusivity. The poll panel defended the SIR, stating it strengthens electoral integrity by removing ineligible names.
The challenge, brought by RJD’s Manoj Jha, TMC’s Mahua Moitra, Congress’ K C Venugopal, NCP’s Supriya Sule, CPI’s D Raja, SP’s Harinder Singh Malik, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Arvind Sawant, JMM’s Sarfraz Ahmed, and CPI (ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, contests the Election Commission’s June 24 decision to launch the SIR. Civil society groups like PUCL, the Association for Democratic Reforms, and activist Yogendra Yadav have also filed petitions, alleging the process threatens democratic principles.
As the Supreme Court continues its review, the decision could significantly impact Bihar’s electoral framework and voter participation.
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