NATIONAL: Bihar Polls: Supreme Court Seeks Details on 3.66 Lakh Deleted Voters
Court Steps In on Voter Deletions
India’s Supreme Court has stepped up efforts to ensure electoral clarity ahead of Bihar’s assembly polls.
A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered the Election Commission of India to disclose full details of 3.66 lakh voters dropped from the final electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
This directive addresses concerns raised by opposition parties over a lack of transparency in the revision process.
The order came during a hearing on petitions from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), and others.
They argued that affected voters received no notice or explanation for their exclusion, potentially disenfranchising legitimate citizens just weeks before the November elections.
Timeline for Accountability
The court has set a firm deadline: the EC must submit all available information, including names and reasons for deletions, by October 9.
This aligns with the next hearing date, allowing time for petitioners to review the data.
Justices emphasized that such openness is essential for upholding democratic principles.
Local election offices will also display lists of removed voters and deletion rationales, helping residents verify their status and file appeals if needed.
This measure aims to cut through confusion and restore trust in the voter rolls.
EC’s Position and Broader Context
Representing the EC, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi noted that no formal complaints or appeals have surfaced from the excluded group so far.
He clarified that most of the 21.53 lakh additions to the final roll involve new voters, not reinstatements from earlier deletions.
The revision, based on the June 24 rolls, saw an initial purge of 65 lakh names in the draft, mainly due to migration, deaths, or duplicates.
The final tally stands at 7.42 crore electors, a net drop of about 47 lakh from pre-revision figures, but with a 17.87 lakh increase over the draft.
Implications for Bihar Polls
Polling in Bihar’s 243-seat assembly is slated for two phases on November 6 and 11, with results on November 14.
Critics, including advocate Prashant Bhushan, highlighted disproportionate impacts on women and minorities, with data suggesting higher exclusion rates in certain communities.
Justice Bagchi remarked that these judicial interventions foster greater public engagement with elections.
By mandating detailed disclosures, the court is signaling that voter rights cannot be sidelined in the rush to refine lists.