SC Asks ECI To Explain Deletion Of 65 Lakh Voters From Bihar Draft Rolls
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to file its response by August 9 on a fresh application of an NGO seeking disclosure of data of 65 lakh voters who were not included in the Bihar draft electoral roll after Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for an NGO, mentioned the matter before the apex court, saying no specific information has been given on who is dead and who has permanently migrated out.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N Kotiswar Singh asked the counsel for the Election Commission to furnish the details of deleted voters, the data which has been shared with the political parties, and give a copy to the NGO.
The Election Commission said all requisite information had been given to political parties.
The bench told Bhushan that the reason for deletion would come in the subsequent time, as it is now only a draft list.
However, Bhushan said that some political parties have been given a list of deleted voters, but they have not further clarified whether the voter is dead or has migrated.
“We will see every voter likely to be affected and get the required information. You (ECI) file a reply by Saturday and let Mr Bhushan look at it, and then we can see what is disclosed and what is not disclosed,” Justice Kant said.
Association For Democratic Reforms, the NGO, which has challenged the June 24 order of the poll panel directing the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, now sought direction from the ECI to publish the names of around 65 lakh deleted voters with a mention whether they are dead, permanently migrated or not considered for any other reason.
Bhushan claimed that 75 per cent of voters, who have filled the enumeration form, have not furnished any supporting documents mentioned in the list of 11 documents, and their names were included on the recommendation of the Booth Level Officer (BLO) of the Election Commission.
The apex court said it is starting the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the June 24 order of the poll panel on August 12, and the NGO can make these averments on that day.
“The application seeks direction for the ECI to publish a full and final assembly constituency and part/booth wise list of names and details of approx 65 lakh electors whose Enumeration Forms were not submitted along with reasons for non-submission (death, permanently shifted, duplicate, untraceable etc.),” the application stated.
It further sought direction “to direct the ECI to publish an assembly constituency and part/booth wise list of electors on the Draft Electoral Rolls published on August 1, 2025, whose Enumeration Forms have been marked “not recommended by the BLOs”.”
The top court has fixed the hearing on August 12 and 13 of a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission of India’s move to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
The petitions challenging the ECI decision were filed by RJD MP Manoj Jha, ADR, PUCL, activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, and former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam.
The petitions sought direction to quash the ECI’s June 24 directive that requires large sections of voters in Bihar to submit proof of citizenship to remain on the electoral rolls.
ADR, in its petition, has submitted that the ECI order imposes fresh documentation requirements and shifts the burden of proof from the state to the citizen.
The petition also raised concerns over the exclusion of widely held documents like Aadhaar and ration cards, stating that this would disproportionately affect the poor and marginalised voters, especially in rural Bihar. (ANI)
