Today, On 15th September, in the Bihar SIR Row ,The Supreme Court warned that the entire Special Intensive Revision process in Bihar can be invalidated even after the final voter list is published if any irregularities or illegalities are discovered during verification.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, reiterating its stance on the disputed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls, observed that the entire process can be invalidated even after the final voter list is published if any irregularities or illegalities are found.
During a hearing on a petition on Monday that sought a modification of its previous order wherein it directed the Election Commission of India to include Aadhaar as one of the identity proofs for voter registration.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymlaya Bagchi expressed confidence that the Election Commission, as a constitutional body, is adhering to the law and the necessary regulations in conducting the SIR process.
Simultaneously, the court indicated its willingness to intervene, asserting that the entire process could be invalidated if any wrongdoing is identified.
Justice Kant remarked,
“What difference will the final publication of the list make to us if we are satisfied there is some illegality?”
Earlier, On September 8, the court had ordered the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar as proof of identity, adding it to the list of 11 other acceptable documents.
However, it clarified that Aadhaar could not be used to prove citizenship. On Monday, the bench issued a notice regarding the petition for modification and scheduled October 7 for final arguments on the legitimacy of the SIR process.
Earlier, On August 6, the Court learned that 6.5 million names were removed from the draft electoral roll published on August 1. The ECI assured the Court that no names would be removed without prior notice, an opportunity for a hearing, and a reasoned order from the appropriate authority.
The Election Commission of India (ECI), On 24 June 2025, started a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar before the Assembly elections. Under this process, voters were asked to provide updated documents, but many citizens did not have them.
Opposition parties and several NGOs criticised this move, saying it could deprive a large number of genuine voters of their right to vote. They approached the Supreme Court (SC), calling the ECI’s action arbitrary and against the Constitution.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with others such as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, participated in a Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar to protest what they describe as widespread vote theft aimed at benefiting the BJP, allegedly in collusion with the Election Commission.
The Opposition contends that the Bihar SIR is a significant part of this scheme.
The Commission, On 1 August 2025, released the draft electoral roll, which showed a total of 7.24 crore registered voters. At the same time, around 65 lakh names were removed from the list.
Petitioners, including the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), requested the Supreme Court to order the ECI to make public the full list of voters whose names were dropped, along with the reasons for each deletion. They said that without such transparency, many citizens might lose their right to vote without being given a fair chance to object.
Case Title: ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS AND ORS. Versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA, W.P.(C) No. 640/2025 (and connected cases)
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Bihar SIR Row