Supreme Court says SIR is prerogative of ECI, any directive to them would amount to interference

During the hearing, Justice Surya Kant also questioned the petitioners, asking, "Why do you want the Supreme Court to take everything into its own hands? The Election Commission has its own mechanism. Let it function." The bench also emphasised that the judiciary must allow the poll panel to perform its duties independently without unnecessary interference. 

Court seeks data on excluded voters

Meanwhile, the court also asked the Election Commission to provide detailed information regarding the 3.66 lakh voters excluded from the final electoral roll prepared under the Bihar SIR exercise. In its submission before the court, the Election Commission clarified that "most of the names added in the final electoral roll in SIR are of new voters and a few old voters." The poll panel further informed the bench that no complaints or appeals have been received so far from any of the excluded voters.

EC data shows voter roll changes

On September 30, the EC, while publishing the final electoral list of the poll-bound Bihar, said that the total number of electors has come down by nearly 47 lakh to 7.42 crore in the final electoral roll from 7.89 crore before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list carried out by the Election Commission. However, the final figure has increased by 17.87 lakh from 7.24 crore electors named in the draft list issued on August 1, which had removed 65 lakh voters from the original list on various accounts, including deaths, migration and duplication of voters.

While 21.53 lakh new electors have been added to the draft list, 3.66 lakh names have been removed, resulting in a net increase of 17.87 lakh. On October 6, announcing the poll schedule, the EC said elections will be held in 121 seats of the 243-member Assembly on November 6, while the remaining 122 constituencies will go to polls on November 11. The counting of votes will be held on November 14.

(With inputs from PTI)