‘Entire SIR Process May Go’: SC Issues Stern Warning To Election Commission Over Bihar Roll Revisions

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a stern warning to the Election Commission of India (ECI), stating that if any irregularities are detected in the methodology adopted for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, the entire process could be struck down.

The bench clarified that it cannot issue a limited or piecemeal opinion restricted to Bihar alone. Instead, its final judgment will apply uniformly to SIR exercises carried out across the country.

During the hearing, the court emphasized that it operates on the presumption that the ECI, being a constitutional authority, is adhering to the law and following mandatory rules in conducting the voter roll revision.

The case has been scheduled for final arguments on October 7, when the court will hear the matter on the validity of the SIR exercise in Bihar.

Earlier, on September 8, the Supreme Court directed that Aadhaar must be accepted as the 12th valid document for inclusion in Bihar's electoral rolls. This came after complaints that election officials were refusing to recognize Aadhaar despite previous instructions. Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi rejected the ECI's reservations, noting that although Aadhaar cannot establish citizenship, it remains a valid proof of identity and residence.

The controversy stems from concerns raised by opposition parties over alleged wrongful deletions of genuine voters' names during the SIR process, claiming these were done without proper verification. Critics have further argued that the exclusion of Aadhaar from the initial list of 11 valid documents unfairly disadvantaged many voters, given that Aadhaar is the most widely held identity proof.

On August 18, the Election Commission announced that the names of 65 lakh people had been deleted from the draft electoral rolls published under the SIR exercise in Bihar, sparking political backlash.