Key Points
- Supreme Court rebukes political parties in Bihar for “silence and inaction” during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists deleting 65 lakh names.
- Only 2 objections filed by 1.6 lakh booth level agents appointed by 12 recognized parties, highlighting severe voter facilitation gaps.
- Court mandates political parties to file status reports and actively assist voters in submitting claims and objections.
- Aadhaar or any of 11 approved IDs accepted as valid documents for re-inclusion applications.
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) must provide physical submission acknowledgement receipts; EC considering online upload for transparency.
- Request to extend September 1 deadline rejected by the Court, emphasizing timely completion.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India embarked on a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar, removing approximately 65 lakh names from the draft roll after rigorous scrutiny. The initiative aims to purge duplicates, incorrect entries, and outdated registrations, ensuring an accurate voter database ahead of upcoming elections.
Following earlier Supreme Court orders, the EC published district-wise lists of deleted voters online and issued multiple public notifications. Recognizing Aadhaar as valid proof simplified the re-verification process for affected voters seeking re-inclusion.
Court Hearing and Reprimand
A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna reviewed petitions by citizen groups and opposition entities challenging voter exclusion fairness. During the hearing on August 22, the Court expressed serious concern over political parties’ failure to support voters. Despite appointing 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) tasked with facilitating voter objections, only two objections have been recorded.
Justice Khanna underscored that the electoral revision must be “voter-friendly” and criticized this disconnect, calling the inactivity “surprising.” The bench directed political parties to become respondents in the case and mandated submission of status reports detailing efforts to assist voters.
Key Directions from the Supreme Court
- Political Parties: Must actively engage in helping voters with objections or claims to correct the roll; file status reports.
- Booth Level Agents (BLAs): Required to assist citizens both online and offline in submitting applications.
- Documentation: Acceptance broadened to Aadhaar or any of the eleven documents listed by EC for re-inclusion claims.
- BLO Accountability: Must issue physical acknowledgement receipts for submitted forms, which are not verification but proof of submission.
- Transparency Measures: EC urged to explore online uploading of acknowledgement receipts for public access and monitoring.
Rejected Plea for Deadline Extension
Senior advocates including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Prashant Bhushan, and Vrinda Grover requested an extension of the September 1 submission deadline to accommodate citizens facing difficulties. The Supreme Court declined the plea, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the timetable for electoral preparedness.
Impact and Significance
This judgment spotlights the critical role political parties must play in safeguarding voter inclusion rights and facilitating awareness during electoral roll revisions. It calls on all stakeholders parties, election officials, and civil society to ramp up efforts for participatory democracy.
The order also promotes transparency and accountability through measures like receipt issuance and public access to objection data, fostering trust among voters.
What Voters Should Know
- Voters whose names were deleted can file objections or claims using Aadhaar or any EC-approved ID.
- Assistance from Booth Level Agents and Officers is mandated and should be actively sought.
- Acknowledgement receipts provide proof of submission but not confirmation of inclusion follow up is advised.
- The deadline for submitting claims remains strict at September 1, underscoring the need to act promptly.
Engaging SEO Headlines
- Supreme Court Slams Bihar’s Political Parties for Failing Voters in Massive Voter List Purge
- Only 2 Objections Filed by 1.6 Lakh Booth Agents: SC Orders Parties to Aid Voter Inclusion
- Bihar’s 65 Lakh Voter Deletions: SC Demands Transparency, Assistance Before September 1 Deadline
- Supreme Court Refuses to Extend Voter List Revision Deadline; Parties to Submit Status Reports
- EC Urged to Make Voter Objection Process Transparent with Online Receipt Uploads
This order strengthens India’s commitment to clean electoral rolls while emphasizing political accountability and voter empowerment.# Supreme Court Rebukes Bihar Political Parties for Inaction Amid Massive Voter List Deletions
- Supreme Court criticizes Bihar parties for silence during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) deleting 65 lakh voter names.
- Only 2 objections filed by 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents appointed by 12 recognized parties, highlighting voter facilitation gap.
- Court directs political parties to file status reports and actively assist voters in objection submissions.
- Aadhaar or any of 11 listed documents accepted for re-inclusion claims; Booth Level Officers to issue acknowledgement receipts for physical submissions.
- Election Commission to consider uploading receipts online for transparency.
- Court rejects plea to extend September 1 deadline for objections.
Background: Bihar’s Voter List Overhaul
In a sweeping revision, the Election Commission of India removed around 65 lakh names from Bihar’s draft voter list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, aiming to clean the rolls ahead of elections. The deletions were published district-wise online, accompanied by public notices, ensuring affected voters had opportunities for re-inclusion by filing claims using Aadhaar or other approved documents.
Supreme Court’s Hearing and Reprimand
A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna heard petitions by citizen groups and opposition parties. The court expressed surprise and concern that only two objections were raised by the 1.6 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by political parties to assist voters. The bench stressed the revision must be “voter-friendly” and faulted political parties for their “silence and inaction” in helping affected citizens.
Court’s Key Directions
- Political parties to become respondents and submit status reports on their facilitation efforts.
- BLAs must actively assist voters in submitting objections online or physically.
- Aadhaar or any of eleven listed documents accepted for filing claims.
- Booth Level Officers must provide acknowledgement receipts for physical form submissions.
- Election Commission urged to consider uploading these receipts publicly for transparency.
Deadline and Next Steps
Despite requests by senior advocates to extend the September 1 deadline, the Supreme Court maintained the schedule, emphasizing timely completion of the revision process for electoral preparedness.
The ruling underscores the critical role of political parties and election machinery to ensure voter rights, transparency, and accountability during roll revisions. It enforces a robust mechanism for citizens to reclaim their names while demanding active participation from parties traditionally tasked with voter mobilization.
