The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, even as it asked the Election Commission to consider accepting Aadhaar and Voter ID (EPIC cards) as valid documents for the process.
A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the electoral roll revision exercise in the state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The petitioners had raised objections over the manner in which the SIR was being conducted, alleging serious irregularities and misuse of voter data.
During the hearing, the petitioners contended that personal details of a large number of voters had been uploaded without their knowledge or consent. They also pointed out instances where forms included the names of deceased individuals, suggesting a lack of verification.
However, the Supreme Court declined to intervene at this stage. “Since the process is still in its initial stage, there is no reason to halt it,” the Bench observed, turning down the plea for a stay. It added that the validity of the exercise could be assessed once the draft list is finalised.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 29.
EC Defends Process, Offers Clarifications
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has defended the SIR process, claiming that it witnessed high public participation. In a press release issued on July 27, the Commission stated that over 7.24 crore of Bihar’s 7.89 crore eligible voters—nearly 92%—participated in the enumeration drive.
Addressing concerns about 35 lakh voters reportedly missing from the draft rolls, the Commission said that many of them had either migrated to other states or had passed away. Others, it said, did not submit their forms or chose not to register.
The Commission clarified that the final decision on the status of these voters would be taken after a thorough verification by the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). This review process is expected to conclude by August 1.
The Supreme Court’s direction for the EC to consider accepting Aadhaar and EPIC cards as part of the SIR documentation comes amid ongoing debates over data security and the need for greater transparency in electoral roll management.
