West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission, questioning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state. She has alleged legal violations, public hardship, and serious humanitarian concerns during the SIR process.
The Supreme Court heard petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls, raising concerns about de novo preparation of voter lists and citizenship checks. Petitioners argued the process is arbitrary, excludes voters, and exceeds the Election Commission’s statutory powers.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing ADR’s challenge to Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, raising concerns over transparency, Aadhaar use, and voter deletions. Senior advocates warned that shifting the burden of proving citizenship to voters threatens the constitutional right to vote.
The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer to pass a reasoned order on a plea opposing the acceptance of invalid OBC certificates in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Court said the issue does not challenge the SIR process itself and must be decided within one week.
Today, On 2nd December, Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to extend the SIR deadline for voter list revision in Kerala, stressing the need for comprehensive and accurate electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections, amid public concern and administrative delays.
The Kerala government, backed by all major parties except the BJP, will challenge the Election Commission’s special voter roll revision in the Supreme Court. CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the move based on the 2002 list is “unscientific” and “ill-intentioned.”
During the Supreme Court hearing on Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Justice Surya Kant asked Abhishek Manu Singhvi, “Are you representing the Bharatiya Janata Party?” prompting laughter from Kapil Sibal, who quipped, “Probably not.”
The Supreme Court addressed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, stating, “West Bengal can wait for the time being.” The court chose to focus on Bihar’s voter list issues ahead of elections, delaying West Bengal.
Ahead of the Bihar elections, the Election Commission is set to delete 56 lakh names from the voter list, averaging 23,000 per constituency. Opposition alleges the move targets poor and migrant voters, with the Supreme Court now monitoring the situation.
The Supreme Court of India has authorized the Election Commission to advance with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, highlighting the inclusion of Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration card for verification. This decision addresses concerns from petitioners and emphasizes transparency, impacting future electoral processes across states.
