The Supreme Court has made a significant comment on the matter of approximately 6.5 million voters excluded from the draft voter list in Bihar, stating that detailed information regarding this should be presented to the court by August 9.
Patna: In a significant order, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Election Commission to submit information by August 9, 2025, regarding approximately 6.5 million voters who have been removed from the Draft Voter List in Bihar. This order was issued in response to a petition filed by a non-governmental organization (NGO) called 'Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR),' which has raised questions about the transparency of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Bihar.
Supreme Court Seeks Details of Removed Voters
A three-member bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, explicitly directed the Election Commission's counsel to present detailed information in court regarding the voters removed from the draft voter list and to provide a copy of the same to ADR. The Court stated that this data has already been shared with political parties; therefore, it should also be shared with the NGO in the public interest to maintain transparency in the process.
What was ADR's Petition Asking For?
The NGO ADR filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting that the list of 6.5 million voters removed under the SIR process, initiated by the Election Commission in Bihar on June 24, be made public. They also requested clarification on the reasons for removing these voters' names — whether they were deceased, permanently migrated, or disqualified for any other reason.
The lawyer representing the Election Commission in court stated that this is a draft list, and the removed voters will be contacted at every level. The Commission also assured that every affected voter would be informed, and their objections would be appropriately addressed in the final list.
Information Given to Political Parties, But No Clarity: Prashant Bhushan
Senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing on behalf of the NGO, informed the Court that some political parties have been given the list of removed voters, but it has not been clarified why their names were removed. Bhushan stated that there are serious flaws in the transparency of this process and that many voters have been removed without sufficient documentation.
Prashant Bhushan told the Court that approximately 75% of the voters whose names were added or removed from the list did not submit any proof from the required 11 documents. In such a situation, there is apprehension that decisions have been taken based solely on the recommendations of the BLO (Booth Level Officer), which raises questions about fairness.
Next Hearing Date
The Supreme Court has clarified that if "large-scale removal of names" from the voter list is found, it will intervene immediately. The bench also announced that a detailed hearing on this matter will be held on August 12 and 13, 2025, where both ADR and the Election Commission will have the opportunity to present their case.
The Court stated that the Election Commission is a constitutional body and is expected to function with fairness and transparency. The bench emphasized that any undue tampering or negligence in the voter list is not only harmful to democracy but also undermines public trust.
