SC orders EC to name 65 lakh voters dropped in Bihar's voter list, give reason

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to release the names and reasons for deletion of over 65 lakh voters from Bihar’s electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The court said the complete list must be uploaded on district-level websites and made available to the public before the upcoming state elections.

The bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, noted that the ECI has stated 22 lakh deletions were due to deaths. “If 22 lakh people have died, why is it not disclosed at the booth level? We do not want citizens’ rights to be dependent on political parties,” Justice Kant observed during the hearing. The petitions before the court had also flagged the exclusion of Aadhaar as valid proof in the SIR process, saying this could affect a large number of voters.

In its order, the court said the list must mention the reasons for deletion from the draft rolls and be publicised in newspapers with maximum circulation in vernacular languages. It must also be broadcast on Doordarshan and other channels, and district election officers should display it on their social media handles. Booth-wise lists must be posted on notice boards at panchayat bhawans, block development offices, and panchayat offices to ensure manual access for residents.

The court allowed aggrieved persons whose names were wrongly deleted to submit claims along with Aadhaar copies. It further directed that the online list be searchable using EPIC numbers, enabling voters to check their status directly. Justice Kant stressed that voters should be able to independently verify their names without reliance on political intermediaries.

Earlier, Justice Joymalya Bagchi had asked the ECI how many names were removed in the draft list after the SIR. Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the ECI, said, “65 lakhs are not there, 22 lakhs are dead,” adding that no names had been deliberately deleted and voters could approach poll officials for corrections. The matter will be heard again on August 22.