Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Voter Exclusion in Bihar Polls

Fast Summary

• The Supreme Court of India assured intervention if “mass exclusion” of voters is found in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
• A division bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and joymalya Bagchi, stated their readiness to act if draft electoral rolls (to be published on August 1) reveal unjust exclusions.
• Petitioners claim that up to 65 lakh voters have been excluded, labeled as deceased or permanently shifted. Advocate Prashant Bhushan highlighted these concerns while Kapil Sibal argued for the names of excluded voters to be included in the draft list for transparency.
• the Election Commission of India (ECI) asserted that exclusions are subject to a 30-day objection process, allowing corrections before finalization.
• Justice Kant emphasized ECI’s constitutional role and affirmed judicial oversight should errors arise. Hearing will resume on August 12-13.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights growing concerns over voter inclusivity ahead of Bihar’s assembly elections. While acknowledging ECI’s constitutional role and presumption of due compliance with laws, SC’s willingness to intervene underscores its vigilance against systematic disenfranchisement. Allowing objections within a fixed timeframe ensures procedural fairness but demands active public participation to flag potential errors or oversights.

This case also illustrates broader challenges in maintaining accuracy in voter databases amidst demographic changes like relocations or deaths. Political parties serving as facilitators might bridge institutional gaps during revisions; however, transparency-via accessible voter lists-remains vital for bolstering public confidence in electoral processes.

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