New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stop the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar, a move that the INDI Alliance had strongly opposed, calling it unfair and politically motivated. While the process will continue, the court issued notices to the Election Commission (EC) and the Bihar government, demanding answers on the legal and procedural aspects of the revision.
Court raises concerns over fairness and legality
The revision has sparked controversy as it requires only those voters added after 2003 to re-verify their identity. The apex court asked why this selective review was being conducted and under what legal provision such a ‘special intensive revision’ was allowed. Petitioners, including the Association for Democratic Reforms and MP Mahua Moitra, warned this could set a troubling precedent, especially with West Bengal elections coming up next year.
Use of common ID documents under the spotlight
The court also questioned why widely used government documents like Aadhaar, voter ID cards, and ration cards were not accepted for identity verification. These are already used in many official procedures, the bench noted, and excluding them raises doubts about transparency.
Key questions for EC and the Bihar government
The apex court directed both the EC and the state government to respond to three specific queries:
- What legal basis supports this special revision?
- Is the procedure for re-verification fair and transparent?
- Why was the timing so close to the election?
While the process is set to continue, the Supreme Court’s move to take a closer look at the issue keeps political debate on the revision alive in the run-up to the state elections.
