Supreme Court to Hear Pleas Challenging Bihar’s Electoral Roll Revision Process

new⁤ delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear ‍a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission⁢ of india’s (ECI) ‌ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of ⁤electoral rolls in Bihar. The petitions, filed by various individuals and ⁣organizations, including prominent figures like former ‌Kerala MLA P.K. Kunhalikutty and Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, along with the Association ⁣for Democratic Reforms (ADR), PUCL,⁤ and the National Federation for Indian⁢ Women, raise serious concerns about the fairness and inclusivity ⁤of the revision process.

Concerns Over Disenfranchisement and Procedural Lapses

At⁤ the heart of the‍ petitioners’ arguments is the contention that the SIR process ​is being conducted in a hasty manner, ⁣perhaps leading to the‍ disenfranchisement of millions of voters,‌ particularly‍ from marginalized communities such​ as Muslims, Dalits, and poor migrant ‍workers. A key point of contention is the shift in the burden ​of proof, which now rests on the ⁣citizen to re-establish their eligibility, a departure from previous practices.

Furthermore, the exclusion of widely accepted identification documents like Aadhaar and ration cards⁤ from the list of acceptable proofs is a important concern. While Aadhaar‍ was used and accepted for the 2024 General Elections, its ⁤exclusion in the current Bihar SIR is seen as a deliberate oversight. Petitioners highlight that in ⁣a state like Bihar, characterized by⁣ high rates ​of⁤ poverty, illiteracy, and migration, ‍documents ⁢like passports, birth⁣ certificates, ⁤matriculation certificates, and permanent ⁣residence certificates are not readily accessible to a large segment of the population.

The petitions also point out that this is the first instance where the ECI is requiring individuals who have voted multiple times to re-prove their eligibility, with the threat of name deletion⁢ if they ‌fail ‍to do so. This,they‍ argue,is ​an unprecedented and potentially unfair demand.

Allegations of Violating Depiction of the People Act

Several of ‌the petitions assert that the SIR process violates ‌key provisions of the Representation of the People Act,1950,specifically Section 22,and Rule⁤ 21-A of the Registration of Electors Rules,1960. ⁣These legal frameworks, according to the petitioners, ‍mandate adequate ‍procedural safeguards‍ that are allegedly being bypassed in the current revision exercise.

As an interim measure, ⁤the petitioners are seeking an immediate stay on the ongoing SIR exercise. They have proposed that​ the ECI should instead​ rely ‌on the electoral rolls ‌as they where updated in January of this year, arguing that this ‌would‌ provide a more​ stable and​ inclusive ⁤foundation for the ‌electoral process‌ in Bihar.

The⁣ case, titled Association for Democratic ⁢Reforms and Ors. Versus Election Commission of India, ⁤with the case number W.P.(C) no.640/2025, along⁢ with other connected cases, is now awaiting a⁤ crucial⁣ hearing in the Supreme Court. The outcome of these petitions could have significant implications for electoral fairness and⁢ the⁣ rights of voters across Bihar.