The Supreme Court of India has issued significant directives to ensure fairness and transparency in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, following concerns over the exclusion of approximately 65 lakh voters. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ruled that individuals whose names were omitted from the draft electoral rolls can submit their applications for inclusion online, emphasizing that physical submission of forms is not mandatory.
Applicants may provide either one of the 11 documents specified by the Election Commission of India or an Aadhaar card to support their claims.
The Court expressed surprise over the minimal involvement of political parties in assisting affected voters. Despite the presence of over 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) across the state, only two objections had been filed. The Election Commission reported that some BLAs faced challenges in submitting objections, with certain officers allegedly not acknowledging their submissions.
In response, the Court directed all 12 recognized political parties in Bihar to instruct their BLAs to assist voters in filing claims and to ensure that Booth Level Officers acknowledge the receipt of any physical forms submitted.
Addressing concerns about the transparency of the revision process, the Supreme Court had previously ordered the Election Commission to publish a district-wise list of the 65 lakh deleted voters, along with reasons for their removal, such as death, migration, or duplication. These details were to be made accessible on the websites of the respective district electoral officers.
The Special Intensive Revision process has been under judicial scrutiny, with petitions challenging the methodology and alleging arbitrary deletions without adequate safeguards. The Supreme Court has emphasized that while the Election Commission possesses the authority to conduct such revisions, the procedure must be voter-friendly and reasonable to prevent disenfranchisement.
The revision process has also sparked political debates, with opposition leaders accusing the ruling party of manipulating the electoral process. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission were involved in electoral malpractice to benefit certain industrialists. In response, a public interest litigation has been filed seeking to de-register the Congress party for its “Vote-Chori” campaign and to investigate the actions of its leaders.
As Bihar approaches its upcoming elections, these developments underscore the critical importance of maintaining electoral integrity and ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.
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