The Supreme Court on Monday heard the final round of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission to provide details of the 3.66 lakh voters who were excluded from the final electoral roll prepared under the SIR exercise.
Responding to the court, the Election Commission told the bench that most of the names added to the final electoral roll under the SIR are of new voters. It clarified that only a few old names were removed during the revision.
The ECI also said that so far, no complaints or appeals have been filed by any of the voters whose names were excluded from the list.
The apex court made it clear that it would not issue a ruling limited only to Bihar. Any verdict passed in this case will apply across India.
The bench stated that if any irregularities or illegalities are found in the methodology followed by the Election Commission during the Bihar SIR, the entire process will be cancelled.
“If we find any illegality in the methodology adopted by the ECI at any stage of the Bihar SIR, the entire exercise will be set aside. We cannot give a piecemeal opinion on the Bihar SIR; the final verdict will be applicable pan-India,” the court said.
The bench also noted that it presumes the Election Commission, being a constitutional authority, is acting according to the law and mandatory rules in the ongoing revision exercise in Bihar.
“The ECI is a constitutional authority. We presume it is following the law and mandatory procedures in conducting the Bihar SIR,” the court observed.
(This story is developing)
During the hearing, the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission to provide details of the 3.66 lakh voters who were excluded from the final electoral roll prepared under the SIR exercise.
Responding to the court, the Election Commission told the bench that most of the names added to the final electoral roll under the SIR are of new voters. It clarified that only a few old names were removed during the revision.
The ECI also said that so far, no complaints or appeals have been filed by any of the voters whose names were excluded from the list.
The apex court made it clear that it would not issue a ruling limited only to Bihar. Any verdict passed in this case will apply across India.
The bench stated that if any irregularities or illegalities are found in the methodology followed by the Election Commission during the Bihar SIR, the entire process will be cancelled.
“If we find any illegality in the methodology adopted by the ECI at any stage of the Bihar SIR, the entire exercise will be set aside. We cannot give a piecemeal opinion on the Bihar SIR; the final verdict will be applicable pan-India,” the court said.
The bench also noted that it presumes the Election Commission, being a constitutional authority, is acting according to the law and mandatory rules in the ongoing revision exercise in Bihar.
“The ECI is a constitutional authority. We presume it is following the law and mandatory procedures in conducting the Bihar SIR,” the court observed.
(This story is developing)
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