Supreme Court to Review Controversial Bihar Electoral Roll Revisions

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to examine a series of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's decision to undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, set for July 10. A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi acceded to listing the matter for Thursday, permitting advance notification and petition copies to the ECI.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and Shadan Farasat presented the issue, asserting that voters could face disenfranchisement if they do not comply with form submissions and documentation, despite having voted for decades.

The petitions, brought forward by RJD MP Manoj Jha, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), activist Yogendra Yadav, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, and former MLA Mujahid Alam, seek to overturn the ECI's directive requiring extensive proof of citizenship. Critics argue the burden unfairly shifts to individuals, sidelining widely held documents like Aadhaar, hence marginalizing vulnerable voters in rural Bihar.

(With inputs from agencies.)