Mon Jul 07 05:38:24 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Supreme Court has scheduled an urgent hearing for petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. This revision requires nearly 30 million voters to produce documents proving their birth date, place of birth, and their parents’ information if born after 1987. Petitioners, including MPs and activists, argue that this process, starting in Bihar before a nationwide rollout, puts an undue burden on poor and marginalized voters, potentially disenfranchising them. They criticize the stringent deadlines and exclusion of documents like Aadhaar and ration cards. The Election Commission of India (ECI) says the SIR is designed to be a nationwide exercise. The opposition INDIA bloc is also considering legal challenges, fearing a significant reduction in the voter population due to migration for work.
**News Article:**
**Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Bihar Voter Roll Revision Amid Disenfranchisement Concerns**
NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in Bihar. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 10, 2025. The SIR requires nearly 29.3 million voters in Bihar to provide documents proving their birth date, place of birth, and parents’ information (if born after 1987).
The petitions, brought forward by a coalition including RJD MP Manoj Jha, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and activist Yogendra Yadav, argue that the exercise poses a significant risk of disenfranchisement, particularly for vulnerable populations. They contend that the stringent deadlines and the exclusion of common forms of identification like Aadhaar cards and ration cards create an unreasonable burden on poor and marginalized voters.
“The notification imposes stringent deadlines on crores of poor and marginalised voters to produce documents to prove their domicility,” said Senior Advocate A.M. Singhvi representing the petitioners. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal emphasized the need for the ECI to justify the rapid timeline for the SIR in Bihar, especially given the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) maintains that the SIR is the first stage of a nationwide exercise to revise electoral rolls. The opposition INDIA bloc is contemplating its own legal challenge, expressing concerns that the revision could lead to a 20% reduction in the state’s voter population due to the exclusion of migrant workers. The case raises critical questions about voter access and the potential for disenfranchisement in the lead-up to crucial elections.
First Piper 