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

J Kant: in info you make available, mention 'dead', 'migrated', etc. in a column. your list of 11 documents seems citizen-friendly, but Aadhaar and EPIC are readily available...your notice can say those who have not submitted so far, they can submit their Aadhaar and EPIC also.

Dwivedi: 7.24 crores have submitted forms

J Bagchi: You're exercising power of intensive survey as a preliminary enquiry into every voter identity...powers are prima facie traceable, so we do not wish to interdict...but your manner has to be reasonable, has to give certain comfort to citizens. Should not strain person to become eligible.

J Bagchi: what you have done is - a data available on a query. instead of that, if you could put entire data set on website, they can scroll down and find...

J Kant: You can issue notice for general public that this is how you can find out info. List with local level officer means villager is at mercy of that officer

Dwivedi: District ERO has a website. For every district, we will put...

J Kant: Absolutely. Please give publicity. In a given case, if a district does not have such website, neighboring district's website can be used. This will minimize manual issues.

J Bagchi: it seems it's not a disclosure of names in the form of a list. it's in a form where one has to put EPIC no. etc. and then info comes...if you can have enumerated list, like draft list...

Dwivedi: at present, nobody deleted from operative list operating in 2025, subject to final list...only then earlier list will get replaced...today the exercise is of preparation...we have not deleted anybody. we have given form to everybody who was there...pre-filled form with EPIC no...have given option of Aadhaar, EPIC...EPIC card by itself can't be...

J Bagchi: Will EPIC be cancelled by revision of electoral roll? EPIC card being rendered [...] can be only under s.22 of RP Act by holding preliminary enquiry.

J Bagchi: We are not being critical of your not doing something...transparency will help create voter confidence. Why don't you take an addl step of putting it up on website, clearly identifying persons who are not there, with reasons, so that they can take remedial measures?

Dwivedi: Website of state govt we can't use

J Kant: State Election Commission website is there

Dwivedi: That's for Panchayat etc. CEO of state has a website, it has been put there

J Kant: Then it's fine

Dwivedi: We have put list of who is and who is not on draft roll.

J Bagchi: There are 2 imp things - (a) suo-motu departure only permissible in special circumstance...SoP requires publicity to give opportunity to persons to appeal...a fundamental right to know as to why people being deleted requests widest possible publicity. Even if someone is illiterate, he can come to know through neighbors, family members

Dwivedi: There has been immense publicity

J Kant: We don't want citizens' rights to be dependent on political party workers

J Kant: If 22 lakhs people found dead, why their names be not disclosed? At block level and sub-divisional level?

Dwivedi: Not only BLO, but booth-level agent also...

J Bagchi: Why don't you put all deceased/migrated/duplicated elector names on website?

J Kant: If you bring in public domain, the narrative disappears.

J Kant: Citizens have their own righs. Something referable to Constitution, some to statute. Can't you have a mechanism where they do not have to run after local political party?

Dwivedi: No. of booths increased...in website, we have given number of BLOs...(on identification of dead persons) officer alongwith volunteer go house-to-house...

J Bagchi: Why don't you do it on internet also?

Dwivedi: List of those left out is there on EC website. Only name and EPIC no. needs to be entered, it will show whether person has filed enumeration form.

J Kant: We are not finally closing matter. Will take to logical conclusion. Let's proceed on premise that you have power to go for SIR. Going by that, 7.90 cr is as on 1.1.25, out of that, 7.24 cr is already forms filled, remaining are 65 lakhs. Out of 65 lakhs, 22 lakhs dead. You must have heard there's serious dispute on dead/alive. What's mechanism to know the people? so that family can know our member has been included as dead in the list?

Dwivedi: Political party agents associated.

J Bagchi: how many omitted in your draft list?

Dwivedi: 7.24 are there already forms, only 65 lakhs we have given...

J Bagchi: 7.24 cr of forms received, you have verified?

Dwivedi: 5 crores are through. If matter is had after 15 days, we can give better figures

J Kant: But there's poor population, in Bihar and other states...it's a reality...rural areas will still take time...

Dwivedi: There's more difficulty in catching voters in urban areas. they don't want to...today's Bihar has 80% literacy level for men...for women, it's touching 65%...youth of today is not the same. Till today, approx. 5 cr people, out of which 1 cr have submitted documents, 4 cr are already on the rolls. what remains is 2.5 crores

J Kant: But that's a huge figure

Dwivedi: Scrutiny is on. Children only have to establish that their parents are there...relationship has to be shown, no document...6.5 crores would not be required to submit any documents. On 1 April, 2025, total was 7.89 cr.