Supreme Court Upholds Bihar's Voter-Friendly Electoral Roll Revision Amid Controversy

The Supreme Court has upheld the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating it is voter-friendly and necessary for keeping accurate voter lists. The Court emphasized the Election Commission's power to conduct revisions as needed, even amid challenges from opposition parties and concerns over the exclusion of certain identification documents.

The Supreme Court has confirmed the necessity of the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) for updating the state's electoral rolls, defending it as both "voter-friendly" and necessary. The Court highlighted that electoral lists must be revisable to account for changes such as deaths and those who have migrated.

This decision arrives amidst political dissent, with opposition parties and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) challenging the revision drive over concerns of legality and the exclusion of certain documents like Aadhaar for verification. However, the Court found the expansion of approved documents from seven to eleven as inclusive rather than exclusionary.

Arguing for the Election Commission's authority, the Court stated that such revisions are within its remit under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the Peoples Act. The controversy continues as politicians and activists raise concerns about transparency and public access to draft rolls, despite assurances by the Election Commission.