The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on July 10 a series of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi allowed the matter to be listed and permitted the petitioners to serve advance copies to the ECI.
The petitions were mentioned by senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and Shadan Farasat, who expressed concern that the ECI directive would result in the deletion of voters from the rolls if they failed to submit specific documents, even if they had been long-time voters.
The petitioners include RJD MP Manoj Jha, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), activist Yogendra Yadav, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam.
They are seeking to quash the ECI’s June 24 directive, which requires many voters in Bihar to submit proof of citizenship to remain on the electoral rolls. ADR argued in its plea that the order imposes new documentation burdens on citizens and shifts the onus of proof from the state to the individual.
The petition further noted that commonly held IDs like Aadhaar and ration cards are excluded from acceptable documentation, which could disproportionately impact marginalised communities, especially in rural Bihar.
“If not set aside, the SIR order could arbitrarily disenfranchise lakhs of voters, undermining the right to free and fair elections and threatening the basic structure of the Constitution,” the petition stated.
RJD MP Manoj Jha contended that the process lacks transparency and consultation, and warned that it is being used to justify targeted revisions that disproportionately affect Muslims, Dalits, and poor migrant workers.
The court is expected to examine the legality and constitutionality of the ECI’s order in the upcoming hearing.