In the Shadow of Monsoon and Migration—Bihar’s Voter List Faces Its Reckoning

Image Source: National Herald

The Supreme Court will today, July 10, hear a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The move has sparked widespread concern over voter exclusion ahead of the state’s November assembly elections.

Key highlights:

Over 10 petitions have been filed by opposition leaders, activists, and civil society groups
Petitioners argue the SIR imposes unreasonable documentation demands, risking disenfranchisement of up to 4 crore voters
Aadhaar and voter ID cards are reportedly not accepted as valid proof under the current guidelines
The EC’s June 24 order mandates submission of enumeration forms within 30 days, followed by claims and objections

Political and legal context:

Petitioners include MPs from RJD, Congress, TMC, CPI, NCP, and others
Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Gopal Sankaranarayanan are representing various petitioners
The EC defends the revision as necessary to ensure transparency and remove ineligible voters
Critics say the timing—during monsoon and migration season—is impractical and exclusionary
The SC bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi will assess whether the revision violates constitutional rights

The outcome of today’s hearing could shape voter eligibility norms and electoral fairness in Bihar and potentially across other states.

Sources: The Hindu, Livemint, NDTV, Times of India, Business Standard, CNBC TV18, MSN India, PTI, ANI, Reuters