The Supreme Court has ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish online the district-wise list of around 65 lakh voters omitted from Bihar’s draft electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive. The Court said the reasons—death, migration, or duplicate registration—must be specified.
This list must be accessible on both the Chief Electoral Officer’s and District Electoral Officers’ websites and searchable by EPIC number. Ahead of the upcoming election cycle, the order seeks to increase voter confidence and guarantee openness.
Clear, Accessible Information for Voters
Voters shouldn’t have to rely on political parties to find out their deletion status, the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi emphasized. Justice Kant noted that a “layman-friendly” notice must clearly state where the list can be found.
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If Poonam Devi’s name is deleted, she must be able to see it online and know why. The Court also directed the ECI to specify in public notices that Aadhaar cards can be furnished while submitting claims for re-inclusion, in addition to the 11 existing valid documents.
Wide Publicity and Searchable Format
The Court ordered the ECI to give wide publicity—through newspapers, electronic media, and social media—that the omitted voter list is available online. Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Advocate Vrinda Grover urged that the file be in a searchable format.
The bench agreed, despite the ECI citing a 2018 Supreme Court ruling in the Kamal Nath case against searchable voter lists. Justice Kant maintained there was no harm in making it searchable, as it would ease access.
Aadhaar Inclusion in Accepted Documents
Although the Supreme Court had previously directed the ECI to consider Aadhaar, it was not included in the list of 11 acceptable ID documents.
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Justice Bagchi pointed out that Aadhaar and EPIC are widely available and citizen-friendly. The Court said voters should know they can submit Aadhaar for re-inclusion, especially if they have not yet provided any ID.
Strengthening Voter Confidence
The Court highlighted that publishing the omitted voter list will remove negative narratives around the ECI. Justice Kant observed that “transparency will help create voter confidence.” The ECI must complete these steps by next Tuesday.
The matter will be heard again on August 22. This directive is not merely procedural—it is a reminder that the democratic process rests on trust, clarity, and accessibility.
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