BIHAR SIR ROW SC HEARING UPDATES: SC DIRECTS POLITICAL PARTIES TO ASSIST VOTERS TO FILE CLAIMS

The top court says voters can submit any of the 11 documents or Aadhaar with their claims, objections, applications for inclusion.

- KALIDAS NEWDELHI

A Supreme Court Bench, which heard a plea against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in poll-bound Bihar, instructed the political parties to direct their booth-level agents to assist voters to file claims and objections in the draft rolls.

Posting the next hearing for September 8, the Bench remarked it was “surprised” that the political parties didn't take it up earlier.

Earlier, the ECI informed the Supreme Court that its public notices have expressly mentioned that copies of Aadhaar cards can be submitted along with their claims by voters aggrieved by non-inclusion in the draft Bihar electoral roll.Over 65 lakh voter names have been deleted from the draft electoral roll, after the SIR exercise. While the poll body maintains it is being reviewed, political parties claim this is an attempt to disenfranchise voters.

Welcoming the Supreme Court directive on the Bihar SIR issue, the Congress on Friday said democracy has survived a “brutal assault” from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and claimed that the poll body stands “totally exposed and discredited”.

The opposition party said the Supreme Court has laid down guardrails to make the revision more inclusive by including political parties in the process, and alleged that so far, the ECI's approach has been “obstructionist and contrary to the interests of the voters”.

Justice Bagchi suggests to EC that inclusion of Aadhaar as a relevant document now in the 'claims and objections stage” would mean more time is required for verification.

Justice Kant orally addresses ECI that in case of “overwhelming response” from excluded voters in filing claims and objections, the poll body may consider extending the final date for submissions.

SC directs political parties in Bihar to instruct their BLAs to assist voters to file their claims and objections, applications for inclusion in the electoral roll