Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has allowed the ‘special intensive revision’ of Bihar’s voter list to continue ahead of the state’s 2025 election but has recommended that Aadhaar, ration cards, and the Election Commission’s own identity card be accepted as valid documents for voter re-verification. “In our opinion it will be in the interest of justice if these three are included,” the court observed during Thursday’s hearing.
Court Questions Legality and Timing of Revision
The apex court raised significant concerns over the legal foundation and timing of the exercise. Petitioners, including the Association for Democratic Reforms and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, argued that the revision unfairly targets voters registered after 2003, forcing them to re-verify identities without access to commonly accepted government IDs like Aadhaar or even the EC’s Electoral Photo Identity Card.
The court pressed the Election Commission to explain under which section of the Representation of the People Act it was empowered to conduct this “special intensive revision.” “There is either ‘summary revision’ or ‘intensive revision.’ Where is ‘special intensive revision’?” the bench questioned. The EC was also asked to justify the timing of the revision so close to elections.
Supreme Court Expresses Doubts About Implementation
During the proceedings, the court emphasized that while updating voter rolls is important, conducting this exercise just before elections could disenfranchise genuine voters. “Your exercise is not the problem… it is the timing. We have serious doubts if you can manage this exercise. With such a big population (an estimated eight crore people) being subject to this ‘intensive review,’ is it possible to link this to the forthcoming election?” the court asked.
Justice Joymala Bagchi highlighted that while the revision helps ensure non-citizens are not on electoral rolls, it should ideally be conducted separately from the election process. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia added, “A person will be disenfranchised ahead of the election and won’t have the time to defend the exclusion before voting.”
Debate Over Aadhaar as Proof of Identity
Responding to the court’s suggestions, the Election Commission argued that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, as even foreign nationals might obtain it. “It is only proof of identity,” the EC’s counsel stated. However, the bench questioned this logic, asking why documents like caste certificates, often linked to Aadhaar, could be accepted while Aadhaar itself was rejected.
The EC also defended the necessity of the revision, citing data indicating around 1.1 crore deaths and another 70 lakh people migrating, which it said justified updating the rolls.
Political Storm Over the Revision
The issue has triggered a political row in Bihar, with the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal accusing the Election Commission of attempting to manipulate the voter base to benefit the ruling alliance. Senior advocate Vrinda Grover, representing petitioners, described the revision as “not an ordinary exercise,” alleging it was designed to exclude poor, migrant, and vulnerable sections of society.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to reconvene on July 28 to further examine the legality and practicality of the ongoing exercise.
