SC to hear today pleas challenging EC’s decision to revise Bihar electoral rolls

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a series of petitions challenging the Election Commission’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, a move that has drawn criticism from political leaders, civil society groups, and activists.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi is slated to examine the matter, amid growing concerns about the fairness and legality of the ongoing exercise. The Election Commission (EC), in its affidavit submitted to the court, has defended the SIR, stating that it enhances electoral transparency by removing ineligible entries from the voter list.

“The SIR is intended to ensure that only those who are lawfully entitled to vote remain on the rolls,” the poll panel said in its filing. It argued that eligibility to vote is derived from constitutional and statutory provisions, including Article 326 and sections of the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951. “An ineligible individual cannot claim a violation of their rights under Articles 19 or 21,” it maintained.

The EC also informed the court that over 1.5 lakh booth-level agents from major political parties have been involved in the process, reaching out to voters across Bihar. Yet, many of these very parties are now opposing the exercise in the apex court.

Countering the EC’s stance, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the lead petitioner in the case, has alleged that the process is flawed and risks disenfranchising a significant portion of the electorate. “The June 24 SIR order must be set aside as it allows unchecked discretion to Electoral Registration Officers, threatening the right of lakhs to vote,” the NGO stated in its rejoinder. ADR also raised objections to the exclusion of commonly held documents such as Aadhaar and ration cards from the list of acceptable proofs of identity. “The EC has offered no rationale for this omission,” it said.

The petition claims serious procedural lapses in the field-level implementation. “Reports from the ground suggest that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are uploading enumeration forms without consulting voters. Forms have been submitted in the names of people who are deceased or never interacted with any officials,” the NGO alleged.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, a petitioner in the case, echoed similar concerns. In his affidavit, he said, “For the first time, people are being asked to provide proof of citizenship beyond a simple declaration, which goes against established norms. Even Form 6, used for new voter registration, never demanded such documentation historically.”

Jha claimed voters have reported cases of forged signatures and unsanctioned data uploads. “BLOs are reportedly filling out forms on behalf of voters without meeting them,” he noted.

Political analyst and activist Yogendra Yadav, another petitioner, stated in his affidavit that close to 40 lakh voters could be removed from the rolls. “This exercise, under the pretext of improving electoral integrity, may end up depriving genuine voters of their rights,” he warned.

In an earlier hearing on July 10, a vacation bench led by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia had instructed the EC to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards as acceptable identity documents. The court had, however, allowed the EC to continue the revision process for Bihar’s over seven crore registered voters, pending further review.