Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Case- Supreme Court Hearing-Live Updates

Today's report can be read here :

Publish On Website List Of Voters Omitted In Bihar SIR With Reasons; Specify Aadhaar Card Can Be Submitted: Supreme Court Directs ECI

Gopal S: 7.24 cr list is already there on CEO website, let the 65 lakhs be also put on that

Bench agrees to the suggestion

Order: Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar would also keep soft copies of district wise lists of voters who have not been included in draft list, with reasons, on CEO website. ECI to obtain reports from BLOs and District Election officers and place on record a collated status report. Website lists shall be EPIC-based searchable.

Order: (ii) to make voters aware, list to disclose the reason for non-inclusion in the draft roll

(iii) to give wide publicity about displaying of above list, wide publicity to be given in newspapers having max. circulation in Bihar. In addition, it shall also be broadcast on Doordarshan and radio channels

(iv) if district electoral officers have social media site, they will display public notice on that site also

(v) In the public notice, it shall also be expressly mentioned that the aggrieved persons may submit their claims alongwith copy of Aadhaar card. In addition, booth-wise lists of 65 lakh voters (approx.) shall also be displayed on notice board by each booth-level officer in panchayat offices - to enable public to have access to these lists, with reasons.

J Kant: we are only on broad principles right now. once issues of conflict will come, which require judicial [analysis], we will not shy away. we will resolve

Order: On suggestion by this court, following steps have been agreed to by ECI, as interim measures -

(i) list of approx. 65 lakh voters whose names appears in voter list of 2025 but are not included in draft list, shall be displayed on the website of every district electoral officers (district-wise). The info will be booth-wise but it can be accessed by referring to EPIC no. of voter.

Pasha: When I enter my EPIC number, what documents I have submitted should also be displayed. At next stage, that would be relevant.

J Kant: This and what Mr Bhushan has said will be part of second phase...will consider on Friday.

Bhushan: BLO is not recommending...on what basis he's doing that...

J Kant: 10-11% (not recommended electors) is a significant [figure]. (to ECI) on Friday, tell us whether recommended names have been accepted and how much?

Dwivedi: Kindly have next to next week

J Kant: Just tell us what you have achieved by next Friday. Suppose all recommendations accepted by you, then we will be left with this 10-11% (not recommended).

J Kant: Do by Tuesday. On Friday, 2 PM we will hear the matter. You will tell us what you're proposing to do. Everybody who has submitted forms is on the rolls

J Kant: Just one line Mr Dwivedi, since this action can have some civil consequences of depriving a citizen/person of right to franchise, therefore fair procedure required. Aadhaar they will...

J Bagchi: .If you are pasting all names on signboards...why can't you have on website?

Dwivedi: There's a judgment...which said searchability should not be...privacy...

J Kant: Searchable form is fine

Dwivedi: we will display mobile no. of BLO

J Kant: that's good

Adv Vrinda Grover: it should be machine-readable. there has been a scam

Sr Adv Gopal S: they changed the format

J Kant: IT HAS TO BE SEARCHABLE. Let's grant them 3 days' time.

J Kant (to EC): Tell your officers to do it and then obtain compliance report from district officer. Place it formally on record. (to petitioners) we are keeping the matter for monitoring purposes. We will keep next Friday

Sr Adv Gopal S (for ADR): the 65 lakhs people...that removal requires an enquiry which has been done. enquiry details may be put up. there are no district level websites. we checked on google right now, they are not there.

J Kant: let's see how they comply. we will see how much redressal...meanwhile, they will give wide publicity that on so and so website, this is how person can find info...it must be layman-friendly. (to EC) you can also mention in your report at what level lists are available for scrutiny...if BLO has enough space in his office room, can be displayed there also.

Dwivedi: We will put out the list at district level. In a clear form

J Bagchi: We just want this info in public domain

J Kant: Poonam Devi's family should know her name is deleted because she has died

SC (to EC): How soon can you do this?

J Bagchi suggests 48 hrs.

Bhushan: Your lordships said 3 cards

J Bagchi: in our later order, we only said 2 (Aadhaar and EPIC). (to ECI) Please clarify by separate notice [about Aadhaar card]

J Bagchi: If people are happy with omission being made, end of chapter as far as they are concerned

Adv Prashant Bhushan, for ADR, interjects

J Kant: If people are not recommended, that's going to the second stage

J Bagchi: Mr Bhushan, don't jump that gun

Dwivedi: ADR sitting in Delhi wants to do data mining. We are concerned with voters.