Bihar survey to continue, orders top SC, suggests these 3 IDs must be considered
Srinagar, July 10: The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 10) told the Election Commission of India to consider Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration card also as acceptable documents for the "Special Intensive Revision" of electoral rolls in Bihar. The Court also recorded the ECI's submission that the list of eleven documents specified by it in its June 24 order as acceptable documents to show citizenship was not exhaustive and was illustrative.
The observation was made during a high-stakes hearing in the Supreme Court regarding the Election Commission’s controversial decision to carry out a ‘special intensive revision’ of Bihar’s electoral rolls. The move has been strongly criticised by petitioners who called it “arbitrary” and “discriminatory” — particularly because it targets only those voters who registered after 2003, requiring them to re-verify their identity without the option of using widely accepted government documents like Aadhaar.
The petition was brought by several concerned parties, including the Association for Democratic Reforms and Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra. Moitra also raised concern that a similar voter verification drive could be carried out in West Bengal before its upcoming state election, fuelling suspicions of selective targeting.
Taking serious note of these concerns, the court posed three crucial questions to the Election Commission:
What legal provision allows for a ‘special intensive revision’? The court pointed out that the Representation of the People Act only mentions ‘summary’ and ‘intensive’ revisions. The EC was asked to clarify under which authority or law it had introduced this third category.
What is the legal validity of the re-verification process? The court questioned the criteria and fairness of the procedure, especially when it excludes the use of common identification documents.
The court sought a justification for the timing of this revision — just months ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly election — a move that petitioners argue could disrupt the electoral process and disenfranchise legitimate voters. The hearing raises broader questions about transparency, inclusivity, and timing in electoral practices, particularly when they disproportionately impact certain groups of voters.
