Bihar Electoral Roll Revision Faces Legal Scrutiny Over Voter Exclusions

The Election Commission of India has addressed thousands of claims and objections following the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's voter list. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court deliberates petitions against the process, focusing on alleged illegal exclusions of voters. Final voter lists are anticipated soon, pending legal outcomes.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is dealing with 17,665 claims and objections following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral roll, with 454 already resolved, according to a press note released on Wednesday. Notably, no political parties have filed objections in the past 13 days.

There has been significant progress on voter registrations, with 74,525 new applications from individuals aged 18 or above, the note reveals. Applications and objections are reviewed by the relevant ERO/AERO after a mandatory verification process lasting seven days.

The Supreme Court has commenced hearings on petitions challenging the SIR process. Concerns center on the exclusion of approximately 65 lakh voters without challenges to their inclusion. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, argues that these exclusions are unlawful under current ECI rules.

Justice Surya Kant emphasized that citizenship proof requirements, such as Aadhaar, are deemed reasonable, noting that comparable documentation standards apply nationwide. Final voter lists are expected following the resolution of legal challenges and completion of the objection phase.