SC warns it will step in if Bihar voter roll revision leads to mass exclusion

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed serious concern over the potential large-scale exclusion of voters in Bihar during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The warning came while hearing a set of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) directive issued on June 26.

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioners, cited a statement by the ECI noting that around 65 lakh individuals had not submitted their enumeration forms. He argued this could lead to arbitrary disenfranchisement and undermine the integrity of free and fair elections.

What did the Supreme Court say?

The Bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, assured Bhushan that the court is actively overseeing the issue and would "immediately step in" should mass exclusion be detected. The matter has been listed for a detailed hearing on 12 and 13 August.

Despite denying an interim stay on the publication of draft rolls, the court urged the ECI to rely more heavily on Aadhaar and Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) for voter verification. The justices dismissed ration cards as unreliable, citing their susceptibility to forgery.

What is the Election Commission’s stand?

The ECI, in its affidavit, clarified that every voter who submitted an enumeration form—regardless of supporting documents—would be included in the draft roll due to be published on 1 August. Those who did not submit forms still have time to file claims for inclusion until 1 September. The final electoral roll will be published on 30 September.

Further, the Commission assured that even after the final roll’s publication, there will be opportunities for new voter enrolment until the nomination deadline for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The court reiterated that the ECI, as a constitutional authority, is presumed to be acting within the framework of the law and the Constitution.
(With IANS inputs)