Fast Summary
- The Supreme Court heard petitions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, allowing the Election Commission (EC) to proceed with the exercise as a “constitutional mandate.”
- Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Samrat Choudhary, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and stated that using documents like Aadhaar, PAN Card, and Ration Card would ensure only Indian citizens are listed as voters.
- Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also supported including additional documents such as Aadhaar and MNREGA cards in the SIR process.
- RJD denied claims that they opposed SIR itself, stating their petition sought inclusivity in terms of accepted identification documents.
- BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy alleged that Opposition objections falsely claimed voter exclusion based on caste or religion but reassured this was untrue as EC has constitutional authority for such revisions.
- The discussions come ahead of elections in Bihar within three months and during the Eastern Zonal council meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The supreme Court’s allowance for continuing electoral roll revision underlines its recognition of due constitutional processes needed to ensure voter authenticity. While differing political narratives emerged on SIR’s intent-ranging from accusations of demographic targeting to reassurances about procedural integrity-the consensus on inclusive documentation to verify voter legitimacy is a positive step toward transparency. The upcoming elections in Bihar make this process particularly significant both practically and symbolically for democratic governance. Ensuring no genuine elector is excluded while maintaining rigorous standards will likely shape public trust going forward.
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