The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India to accept claim forms along with Aadhaar card or any other 11 acceptable documents as part of Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The development comes over a week after the top court noted that Aadhaar cannot be treated as proof of citizenship.
During a hearing on Friday, the Supreme Court noted that the process of draft roll revision in the poll-bound state should be "voter-friendly" and ordered all 12 political parties in the state to assist the 65 lakh voters who are not included in the draft roll. The top court also noted the “inaction” of political parties in correcting the names of deleted voters.
The poll panel had earlier released names of the 65 lakh people who were removed from the draft electoral rolls published as part of the SIR exercise.
Here are Supreme Court's top observations:
- Voters excluded from the SIR exercise can submit their claims online, without the need for submitting physical documents, reported Bar and Bench.
- The top court expressed surprise that while there were 1.68 lakh booth-level agents (BLAs), only two objections have been filed regarding the draft electoral rolls. It noted that some political parties had submitted that BLAs were not being allowed to file objections.
- All 12 political parties shall issue specific directions to party workers to assist in filing such forms with any 11 documents in Form 6 or Aadhar card, the Supreme Court noted. "We are surprised at inaction of political parties. After appointing BLAs, what are they doing...Why distance between political workers and the local people?" Justice Surya Kant was quoted by Bar and Bench.
- The top court directed Bihar's political parties to be present in court and file status reports. The court said the BLAs must ensure that all 65 lakh voters excluded, except those dead or have chosen to shift residence, are assisted.
- "The BLOs are directed to acknowledge receipt of such forms. But such acknowledgement shall not mean completion of forms," the top court clarified.
The Supreme Court's latest observations in the case come a week after it noted that the expanse of documents under SIR was voter-friendly, and gave more options to people.
{{/usCountry}}The Supreme Court's latest observations in the case come a week after it noted that the expanse of documents under SIR was voter-friendly, and gave more options to people.
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, a day before SC's latest observations, the Election Commission made a submission before the top court that it had complied with its directive, publishing the booth-wise list of nearly 65 lakh voters whose names are missing from the draft rolls.