Bihar SIR: Accept Aadhaar or 11 other documents, Supreme Court tells EC

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to alter the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, which is being conducted in poll-bound Bihar, but directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow excluded voters to submit claims through online mode, besides making physical submissions. The court directed the poll body to accept 11 documents, or the Aadhaar Card to get voters included in the voters' list. 

A two-judge bench, which also included Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, also directed the political parties to help the 65 lakh people, who have been excluded from the draft electoral roll. "All the political parties shall file the status report by the next date of hearing on the claim form they had facilitated in filing by excluded voters," the court said, posting the matter for September 8.

The apex court, however, expressed its surprise that only two objections were raised, even though there are more than 1.60 lakh booth-level agents (BLAs) of political parties.  

EC urges court to provide it 15 days

During the hearing, the Election Commission urged the Supreme Court to provide it 15 days to show there was no exclusion. It also told the court that 85,000 excluded voters have submitted their claim forms, while more than two lakh new voters had come forward to register their names in the electoral rolls.

"The political parties are making hue and cry and things are not bad. Repose faith in us and give us some more time. We will be able to show you there are no exclusions," senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, who was appearing for the ECI, told the court. 

SIR drive in Bihar

The Election Commission's decision to conduct the SIR drive in Bihar, where elections are scheduled to be held later this year, has led to a huge political row. According to the SIR, the total number of registered voters in Bihar has reduced to 7.9 crore from 7.24 crore before the exercise.

Amid this, the Supreme Court on August 14 had directed the poll body to publish details of the 65 lakh people who were excluded from the electoral rolls by August 19 to ensure the 'transparency' of the SIR drive.