Voter verification is underway in Bihar before the assembly elections. The Supreme Court questioned the demand for documents. Justice Dhulia said, "I don't have a birth certificate either." The Election Commission called it a strengthening of democracy.
Bihar Voter List: A comment by the Supreme Court on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign underway in Bihar before the assembly elections has sparked a debate. During the hearing, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said, "I don't have a birth certificate either." This remark came amid questions raised about the documents being demanded by the Election Commission from voters.
What is the issue?
A special revision of the list of 79 million voters in Bihar is being conducted. Under this process, approximately 74.39% of the voters have submitted their forms so far. The Election Commission has requested documents to ensure voter identification, including voter ID (EPIC), Aadhaar, and other proofs.
Why isn't Aadhaar made mandatory?
The petitioners have questioned why Aadhaar, which is considered a b means of identification, has been excluded from the list. The Supreme Court also raised this question during the hearing. The commission argued that the list of documents is 'indicative' and its purpose is only to verify identification.
Supreme Court raised fundamental questions
During the hearing, Justice Dhulia said that a large number of people in the country do not have basic documents like birth certificates. In such a situation, demanding this document from everyone is not practical. He clearly stated, "I don't have a birth certificate either."
Impact on the poor and migrants
Senior lawyers told the court that the long list of documents could be a barrier for the poor, migrant laborers, and flood victims. They said that these people do not have the documents available and this process could deprive them of the right to vote.
Election Commission's stance: Clean voter list is essential
The Election Commission says that a clean voter list is essential to strengthen democracy. For this, confirmation of correct identification and residence is necessary. According to the commission, the demand for documents is to ensure transparency and fairness.
Over 74% forms submitted so far
July 25, 2025, is the last date for submitting the enumeration forms. According to the commission, more than 58.7 million enumeration forms have been submitted since the instructions were issued on June 24, 2025. This is 74.39 percent of the total voters.
BLO's important role in submitting forms
In this campaign, 77,895 BLOs and 20,603 newly appointed BLOs are contacting voters door-to-door. They are helping in filling out forms and uploading them digitally.
Digitalization and modules
As per the SIR guidelines, 37.3 million enumeration forms have been digitally uploaded through the BLO app and ECInet so far. A new module has also been launched for its verification, ensuring transparency.
