SC questions 'timing' of ECI's Bihar voter roll revision
What's the story
The Supreme Court has raised concerns over the timing of the Election Commission's special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar's electoral rolls. The court said that while it doesn't have an issue with the exercise itself, it is concerned about its timing, which comes just months before the Assembly elections. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia pointed out that those removed from the list may not have enough time to appeal their exclusion before voting.
Legal scrutiny
Court seeks clarification on poll panel's authority for revision
The Supreme Court has also questioned the authority of the ECI to conduct a "special intensive revision" of electoral rolls. The court asked the poll panel to clarify its powers under the Representation of Peoples Act. It sought answers on three key issues: the panel's authority for such a revision, the validity of this review procedure, and why it was conducted just before an election.
Revision criticism
Petitioners call process 'arbitrary' and 'discriminative'
Petitioners have slammed the revision process as "arbitrary" and "discriminative." Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayan argued that it is unfair to make voters re-verify themselves without using government-issued IDs like Aadhaar. He pointed out that since the last revision in 2003, Bihar's population has grown significantly, and several elections have been held.
Political opposition
Opposition parties also slam voter list revision
Opposition parties, including Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal, have also slammed the voter list revision. They claim it aims to disenfranchise certain voters and benefit the ruling alliance. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover said this exercise is not ordinary but designed to exclude vulnerable sections of society. Meanwhile, the Election Commission's counsel said the court could have a look at the revised voter list before it's finalized and requested that the exercise not be halted.
Background
The EC announced the SIR on June 24
The exercise by the EC plans to cover nearly 79 million electors in Bihar, with the final electoral roll to be published on September 30. The commission cited rapid urbanization, migration, and under-reporting of deaths as reasons for the revision. It also mentioned concerns over foreign illegal immigrants voting. The list of 11 documents prescribed by the poll body excludes the Aadhaar card, ration card, ECI's Photo Identity Card, or the MGNREGA job card.