Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP is learnt to have filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) order dated June 24, 2025, for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar.
The petition reportedly seeks to quash the ECI order, alleging that it violates Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 21, 325 and 326 of the Constitution, as well as provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Moitra has also requested the court to restrain the ECI from conducting similar revision exercises in other states.
According to the petition, this is the first time that voters whose names are already on the electoral rolls and who have participated in previous elections are being asked to submit documents to re-establish their eligibility. The impugned order requires production of citizenship-related documents, including proof of citizenship of one or both parents, as a condition for inclusion or retention in the rolls.
The plea states that failure to furnish the required documents may result in exclusion from the revised electoral rolls. It also contends that commonly used identity proofs such as Aadhaar cards and ration cards are excluded from the list of acceptable documents.
The petition claims that residents across rural and marginalised areas in Bihar face a high risk of disenfranchisement due to the documentation requirements.
It further states that the process places a disproportionate burden on economically and socially-vulnerable groups and draws a comparison with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam. The petition adds that the ECI has issued instructions to Electoral Registration Officers in Bengal to initiate a similar Special Intensive Revision starting August 2025. As of the time of filing the report, no official response from the Election Commission has been reported.
Amid growing concerns, Bihar’s Chief Electoral Office reportedly issued a public clarification through front-page advertisements in local newspapers on July 6, stating that submission of mandatory documents is not the sole basis for voter verification. “If you (read voters) provide the required documents, it will be easier for the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to process the application. If you are unable to provide the required documents, the ERO can take a decision on the basis of local investigation or other documentary evidence,” the EC said.