The Supreme Court on Friday directed petitioners challenging the ongoing electoral roll revision in Bihar to submit their counter-affidavits within 10 days in response to submissions made by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

A bench comprising senior judges heard the matter concerning alleged discrepancies, exclusions, and verification mechanisms deployed across parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Bihar. The court emphasized the need for procedural integrity while ensuring that no legitimate voter is disenfranchised during the updating exercise.

Scrutiny Over Electoral Roll Updating

The ongoing revision process initiated by the Election Commission aims to clean up voter databases by removing duplicate entries, updating demographic details, and incorporating new eligible citizens ahead of scheduled democratic exercises. However, several civic groups and political stakeholders moved the top court, raising flags over potential arbitrary deletions and the lack of accessible redressal mechanisms for marginalized voters in rural districts.

During the proceedings, counsel representing the Election Commission presented an affidavit outlining the statutory safeguards, door-to-door verification drives, and digital checks implemented by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). The poll panel affirmed that statutory timelines were being strictly observed and claims or objections were being processed under established electoral rules.

Court's Directive

Noting the submissions presented by the Election Commission, the bench granted the petitioners a strict 10-day window to file their rejoinder affidavits detailing specific instances of grievance, non-compliance, or procedural irregularity.

Key aspects highlighted during the hearing include:

* Standardized Verification: Ensuring uniform protocols for issuing notices before removing any voter's name from draft electoral lists. * Transparency in Deletions: Maintaining accessible public logs of all deleted or modified entries at district electoral offices. * Rejoinder Submission: The petitioners must place on record any concrete data contradicting the claims made in the Election Commission’s detailed response.

Legal representatives for the petitioners argued that arbitrary expulsions often disproportionately affect migrant laborers and economically disadvantaged populations who may not be present during spot verifications. The court reiterated that the right of every qualified citizen to remain on the electoral roll is vital to the democratic framework and scheduled the matter for further hearing following the conclusion of the 10-day filing period.