supreme Court Hearsโ Challenge to Bihar Voter โList revision
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new Delhi – โฃThe Supreme Court ofโค India is currently examining petitions contesting a directive issued June 24 by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR)โ of electoral rolls in theโฃ state ofโ Bihar. The case centers on allegations that the revision process could lead toโฃ the arbitrary removalโ of eligible voters, potentiallyโ impacting the fairnessโค of โขupcoming โelections.
The Core of the โDispute
Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi areโ presiding over the hearings. Petitionersโข argue the โขSIR lacks sufficient safeguards against wrongfulโ deletions, risking the โdisenfranchisement of millionsโ of citizens. The ECI defendsโ its actions, citing itsโข constitutional authority under Article 324 and Sectionโ 21(3) ofโฃ the Representation of the People Act,โข 1950 โto maintain accurate โฃvoter โlists.
The ECI maintains the โrevision is necessary due to factors like internal โmigration,โข demographic shifts, and theโ needโ toโ updateโ rolls that haven’t undergoneโ intensive review in nearly โtwo decades. Ensuring only eligible citizens are registered is the stated goal,โฃ especially ahead of anticipated Bihar Assemblyโค elections.
Identityโฃ Verification and Documentโฃ Requirements
A key โpoint โof contention involves the documentation acceptable for โขvoter identity verification.โ Onโ July 10, the Court suggested the ECI โฃconsider accepting Aadhaar cards, โrationโข cards, and EPICโ (Electors Photo Identity Card) as valid proof of identity. However, the โECI afterward filed an affidavit stating that neither โAadhaar nor ration cards would be accepted as conclusive proof of eligibility to vote.
Petitioners have challenged โthis exclusion, deeming it unreasonable. the legal challenge highlights the importance โof accessibleโ documentation โคforโ voter registration, particularly for marginalized communities.
Did You Know?
The Representation ofโ the People Act, โ1950, is the primary โขlegislation governing โelections in India, โฃoutlining โprocedures for โregistration,โฃ voting, and dispute resolution.
Data Transparencyโ andโค Voter Deletions
The Association forโ Democratic Reforms (ADR) filed an interim application โคrequesting the ECI to disclose details regarding the deletion of โฃapproximately 65 lakh names from โthe Bihar electoral roll as of โAugust 1.โข The ECI responded that โขit is not legally obligated to publish a separateโ list of excluded โฃvoters or โprovideโ specific โคreasonsโข for each deletion.
Though,the โECI assured the Court that no voter’s name would be removed โfromโ the draft electoral roll without prior notice,anโ opportunity to beโฃ heard,and a โคwritten explanation from โthe relevant authority. This commitment aims to address concerns โabout due process and transparency inโ the revision process.
Key Dates and โคDecisions
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 24 | ECI directs Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of โBihar electoral rolls. |
| July 10 | Supreme Court suggests considering Aadhaar and ration cards for ID verification. |
| August 1 | Approximately 65 lakh names dropped from bihar electoral roll. |
| August 14 | Supreme Court requests ECI โขto publish โฃlist of deleted voters and reasons. |
Court Observations and ECI’s Position
On โขaugust 12, the Court โคobserved that the ECIโข has the โauthority โคto โdetermine who is included or excluded from electoral โคrolls, and that an Aadhaar card does not definitively prove โcitizenship. During a โhearing on โAugust 13, the Court acknowledgedโค that the ECI’s move โขto accept a wider range of documents for identity verification appeared to be โคa positive step towards โขvoter inclusivity.
Subsequently, on Augustโข 14, the Court โdirected the ECI โtoโ upload โthe list of 65 lakh voters proposed โfor deletionโ online, along with the reasons for their โproposed removal.
Pro Tip:
Regularly checking yoru โvoter registration status is crucial, especially during periodsโค of electoral roll revision.you โcan typically do โthis through the ECI’s official website.
What impact will this case haveโ on futureโข electoralโค roll revisionsโค across India? And howโข can the ECI โbalanceโ the โขneed โขfor โคaccurate voter lists with the right to vote for all eligibleโค citizens?
Understanding โElectoral Roll Revisions
Electoral rollโค revisions are aโค standard practice in democracies to ensure voter listsโข are up-to-date โand accurate. โTheseโ revisions typically โoccur periodically, frequently enough before major elections, to account for changes in population, โคdeaths, and new registrations. The processโ involves verifying existing voterโฃ details, adding new eligible voters, andโ removing deceased or ineligible individuals. Maintaining โaccurate voter rolls is essential for theโค integrity of theโ electoral process andโ ensuring fair representation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Voter List Revisions
- What is aโ Special Intensive Revision (SIR)? A SIR is a focused effort to update electoral rolls, frequently enoughโฃ conducted โคin response to specific circumstances โคor concerns about โฃaccuracy.
- Why are voter listsโข revised? Voter listsโ are revisedโ to reflect changes โin population, โdeaths, and new โคregistrations, ensuring only eligible citizens are registered to vote.
- What documents are typically accepted โfor voter registration? Accepted documents vary,โฃ butโ commonly include proof of address, โidentity documents, and sometimes, Aadhaar โcards.
- Whatโฃ happens ifโ my name is removed fromโข the voter โlist? If โขyour name is removed, you typically โคhave the opportunity to file a claim and โprovideโ documentation to reinstate your registration.
- Where can I check my โvoter registration status? You can usually check your โฃstatus on the Election Commission of India’s official website.
This โis a developing story. Stayโค tuned for further updatesโ as the Supremeโ Court continues its โreview of this critical case.