Bihar SIR Case: Live Updates From Supreme Court

Report of today's hearing :

Bihar SIR | There's Confusion If Additions In Final Voters' List Are From Names Deleted Earlier : Supreme Court Tells Election Commission

Bhushan: How many persons can we bring individually?

Sr Adv Vijay Hansaria: Let them stop defaming EC. In public media, they say vote chori and all. They must stop. This Court is monitoring, there can't be parallel...parties who are making these allegations must not be heard

Hansaria requests expedition of SIR in other states

J Kant: In a particular state where SIR was started, we have monitored. Rest of the states - it's domain of EC

Matter listed on Thursday.

Bhushan gives a list of 65 persons: We can file affidavit: Please hear this tomorrow. We will file affidavit today itself

J Kant: The affidavit you have given does not say much

Bhushan: This person was deleted in draft list. He applied for inclusion, but was still not included

ECI objects to direct handing over of documents in Court

J Kant: It should not look like a roving enquiry. If we are prima facie satisfied, we can pass orders.

J Bagchi: This exercise is in aid of electoral process you have started. So that confidence is fortified

J Kant: There's a special bench

Bhushan: Please fix this for tomorrow

Dwivedi: First they should file affidavit

J Kant: Where are the affected people?

Bhushan: I can bring 100...how many your lordships want? I have already given 1 illustration

J Kant: If there are persons who are aggrieved...through any platform, if they come forward, we can direct EC

Bhushan: How many will come forward? There's en mass violation

Dwivedi: Your lordships have disfavored [interference] at this stage of elections

J Bagchi: You'd agree with us...degree of transparency and access...it appears there was a 65 lakh deletion...you published and we said whoever is dead or moved is alright, but if you are deleting someone, please follow Rule 21 and SOP. We also said that whoever is deleted, please put up their data in your electoral offices. Final list appears to be an appreciation of numbers...there is confusion of general democratic process that what is the identity of the add-ons...is it of deleted names or new names?

Dwivedi: MOST ARE NEW VOTERS.

Dwivedi: Nobody has filed complaint with EC till date. It's just individuals in Delhi and ADR. They are not concerned with elections. Based on time schedule under Act, election fixed in two phases...it is to be notified by the Governor. We have to give the time, at this stage, whole EC and its staff is to move on to ensure that every other activity...no appeal filed by anybody.

J Kant: Today if my name is not there in final list, I can file affidavit

Singhvi: it appears that in absence of disclosure of data, we can't check what happened to 65 lakh deleted voters...we don't know who are the added voters

J Kant: Today when final list has been displayed, I know today whether my name is there or not. We need some potential example

Singhvi: Why can't EC tell out of 65 lakh deleted voters (in draft list), how many remain deleted in final

Dwivedi: Final list has been notified. Draft roll also available. Bare comparison will show who has been deleted. Till today, none of the petitioners has amended petition to assail the final list.

Dwivedi: We will respond, kindly issue notice

Court issues notice on the application

Sr Adv Vijay Hansaria mentions another application

J Kant: We have already clarified the Aadhaar issue

Court issues notice on the application

J Kant: Somebody will have to file affidavit saying that I am the person affected

Singhvi: There's a catch there. We need some information to do that

Bhushan: Their own rules said at the end of each day, they have to put out objections qua each voter

J Kant: Your anticipation that many lakhs are being deleted, that is over...?

Bhushan: No. Please see what is the end result of SIR

J Bagchi: We'd like Mr Yadav to give an affidavit

Grover: Please see CEO Bihar website. There's disaggregated data available. Gender-wise, age-wise, how many claims, exclusions - not available. We are in the dark. We have filed an application.

Singhvi: On portal, list says deleted. Persons who are deleted do not get notice that they are deleted. They don't get reason. There is no question of appeal because no one knows. Least they can do is inform

Dwivedi: Every individual voter deleted has been given the order

J Kant: If anyone can give the list of voters out of these 3.66 lakh who have not received orders...we will direct EC to give them orders...everyone has right to appeal

Bhushan: They should put out these things on website, then no one can deny.