Supreme Court to hear today the Bihar SIR matter, following pleas filed by state's political leaders praying for extension of the Sept 1 deadline to file claims/objections to the draft list published by Election Commission Bench: Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya BagchiFollow this thread for live...
Supreme Court to hear today the Bihar SIR matter, following pleas filed by state's political leaders praying for extension of the Sept 1 deadline to file claims/objections to the draft list published by Election Commission
Bench: Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi
Follow this thread for live updates
J Kant: Let's see if they (ECI) don't accept... (To Alam) tell your political party to activate itself
Hearing ends.
Sibal: 7.24 crores voters - Aadhaar should be accepted for all
J Kant: How many times we will pass that order?
Gopal S: 65 lakhs - your lordships said Aadhaar. Remaining...Court did not say about 7.24 crores
J Kant: Why so much emphasis only on Aadhaar? Don't compel us to find an order...
Gopal S: We are saying extend it to those receiving notices
J Kant: show us beyond 65 lakhs, they are not accepting Aadhaar...give examples ready on Sept 8.
Order: We find that there are some issues are seriously disputed questions of fact - especially wrt acceptance of claims/objections/corrections. To facilitate voters of Bihar who are central issue of this litigation, we request Ex. Chairman of Bihar Legal Services Authority to issue instructions, preferably by tomorrow before noon, to all district LSAs to depute/notify the paralegal volunteers alongwith names and mobile nos. They will assist individual voters/political parties for purposes of online submission of claims/objections/corrections. Each volunteer shall thereafter submit a confidential report to the district and sessions judge (Chairman of DSLA). Information so collected from volunteers may be collated at the level of State LSA.
Order: As regards extension of time, note says that filing of claims/objections or corrections is not barred after 1 Sept. It is stated that the claims/objections/corrections can be submitted even after the deadline i.e. after 1 Sept and same will be considered after roll has been finalized. Process will continue until last date of nominations and all inclusions/exclusions are integrated in the final roll. In light of this stand, let the claims/objections/corrections be continued to be filed. Meanwhile, political parties/petitioners may submit their affidavits in response to the note.
J Kant: This unfortunate trust deficit...we can ask district legal services authority to provide volunteers to bridge gap...
Sr Adv Shoeb Alam (for RJD): Please see receiving from ECI's own employees...I have annexed forms to show...figures are incorrect
J Kant: We could have appreciated if there was claim with respect to 1000s...people are asking for exclusion. [to Alam] your claims are more than 36?
Bhushan: Problem is in lack of transparency
Dwivedi: Problem is with mindset to disrupt
Order: IA filed by 2 political parties...seeking interim directions including - extension of timeline by 2 weeks till 15 Sept. Sh Dwivedi for ECI has handed over a note.
J Kant: There's remarkable increase. That's for those who have attained age of 18 years
Petitioners: NO, that's not the case
Dwivedi: All these assertions not there in applications listed today
Pasha: When documents are filed, let it be reflected online. Otherwise they are just changing
J Kant: Better we take up in presence of political parties.
J Kant: That's the second stage, first is submission part
Bhushan: They will publish final roll on 1 October
J Kant: What's really bothering us is - parties are coming up with only 120 cases?
Bhushan: Many people whose names were deleted can't file Form 6
Dwivedi: ADR has nothing to do with Bihar, they have a problem of Bihar, etc. People don't have a problem
Pasha: BLO is refusing to accept Form [...]. 15 lakh new voters have crept up in Bihar in just couple of weeks.
Dwivedi: They can keep on filing after 30 Sept. Whoever is to be included will be made part of electoral roll. If date is postponed, it will be a non-ending exercise
Bhushan: There is a more serious problem
J Kant: There's no difficulty, you can continue to submit
Bhushan: Your lordships order for inclusion of Aadhaar was of August 22. There are also floods in Bihar. More serious problem is they are not following their own manual about transparency. I don't know what's my form uploaded by them.
Dwivedi: BLAs were given lists alongwith reasons for exclusion. Lists published on website of District Electoral Officers and CEO, Bihar. Ads issued in newspapers. Order of this Court fully complied. Time was sufficiently available to file objections. Period between 01.09.2025 and 25.09.2025 is for considering claims/objections and issuing notices in doubtful cases. Most importantly, filing of claims/objections not barred after the deadline.
Dwivedi: Out of 65 lakhs excluded - only 33,326 (individuals) plus 25 claims (through parties) have been submitted post the order of this Court of 22.08.2025...1,34,738 filed for exclusion
J Kant: This 1.35 is part of 2.7?
Dwivedi: So far as extension of deadline, it would disrupt entire schedule for finalization of rolls.