Supreme Faced by Bihar's Electoral Rolls Dilemma

The Supreme Court on Monday refrained from halting the publication of draft electoral rolls in Bihar, despite petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi highlighted the necessity of finalizing the matter, setting a schedule to conduct the final hearing.

Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, argued that the draft should not be finalized in the interim, seeking a stay on the publication to ensure fairness. The bench observed the previous order where petitioners had not sought interim relief and reiterated trust in the court to address any illegality.

The case underscores concerns about electoral integrity in Bihar, with reports indicating potential disenfranchisement due to the SIR process. The court emphasized that voter ID and Aadhaar are valid documents under the current scheme, aiming to ensure genuine inclusion without forgery.

(With inputs from agencies.)