Supreme Court Steps In: Electoral List Transparency for Bihar

The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to publicly disclose reasons for exclusion of 65 lakh individuals from Bihar's electoral roll. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the decision, which followed petitions challenging the need for extensive proof for voter list inclusion. The move aims to boost transparency in voter registration.

In a landmark directive, the Supreme Court has pushed for increased transparency in the electoral process of Bihar. The court ordered the Election Commission to publish, on the district electoral officer's website, a list detailing the exclusion of 65 lakh persons from the state's draft electoral roll, including reasons like death, migration, or duplication.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge lauded this decision as a critical victory for citizens and the party's efforts, supported by Rahul Gandhi. He highlighted that this step overturns the Election Commission's prior stance that Aadhaar was not valid for voting, specifically impacting the excluded individuals in the SIR case.

The court has also mandated widespread dissemination of this information through multiple channels, urging the Election Commission to publish the list on Panchayat Bhawans, block offices, and local media. The apex court took up this measure as part of hearing several petitions seeking to quash the Election Commission's earlier directive requiring excessive documentation for voter list inclusion.