Supreme Court Advocates for Fair Appeals in Bihar's Voter Exclusion

The Supreme Court of India has intervened to ensure voters in Bihar, who have been excluded from the final electoral rolls, are given a fair opportunity to file appeals. The court has directed the Bihar State Legal Service Authority (BSLSA) to instruct its district-level bodies to assist these voters in submitting appeals to the Election Commission.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized the urgency and necessity of timely and reasoned decisions regarding these appeals. Their ruling follows the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which has led to several voters being left off the rolls.

Furthermore, the bench has mandated that district legal service authorities publish a list of para-legal volunteers. These volunteers will aid excluded voters by facilitating the appeal process, ensuring applicants receive detailed explanations for their exclusion rather than superficial, uninformative orders.

(With inputs from agencies.)