ADR Files Petition in Supreme Court Regarding Special Revision Campaign of Voter List in Bihar. The organization has called the Election Commission's order arbitrary and anti-constitutional.
Bihar Voter List: The special intensive revision campaign concerning the voter list in Bihar has now come under judicial review. The non-governmental organization Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has challenged this campaign in the Supreme Court. The organization has demanded the cancellation of the order issued by the Election Commission.
ADR alleges that this order violates Articles 14 (Right to Equality), 19 (Freedom of Speech and Expression), 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty), 325, and 326 (Rights related to Elections) of the Constitution. Furthermore, the order also violates the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
What is the Basis of ADR's Petition?
In the petition filed in the court, ADR stated that the Election Commission's decision was taken arbitrarily without following due process. The organization claims that this process could lead to the exclusion of lakhs of genuine voters from the voter list in Bihar.
ADR has expressed apprehension in its petition that this special campaign is directed against those who do not have sufficient documents related to citizenship or identification. The poor, migrants, marginalized communities, and the rural population are likely to be most affected by this.
Objection to the Demand for Documents
According to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission, to add or maintain a name in the voter list, citizens will have to prove their own citizenship as well as that of their parents. Specific documents have been demanded for this, in which commonly accepted documents like Aadhaar cards and ration cards have not been accepted.
ADR says that this could cause immense hardship to those who do not have documents like birth certificates or parental records. In a state like Bihar, where the conditions of education, documentation, and administrative access are relatively weak, this process can deprive lakhs of citizens of their right to vote.
Allegation of Violation of Article 326
Article 326 of the Constitution states that every adult citizen has the right to vote without discrimination. ADR argues that the process adopted by the Commission also violates this article because genuine voters can be excluded due to the lack of required documents.
Questions on Impractical Time Limits
ADR has also stated that the Election Commission has set impractical and unrealistic deadlines for implementing this special campaign.
It is noteworthy that the Bihar Assembly elections are likely to be held in November 2025. In such a situation, collecting documents and proving citizenship within this time frame can be a challenge for lakhs of citizens. Especially for those who are migrants or whose means of livelihood are limited.
Transparency in Voter Lists
ADR has appealed to the court to quash this order so that no eligible voter is deprived of the democratic process. The organization says that the process of removing names from the voter list should be fair, transparent, and inclusive. The Constitution grants every citizen the right to vote. To ensure this right, it is necessary that the functioning of the Election Commission is not discriminatory or impractical in any way.
