New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday warned that Bihar’s voter list revision could be invalidated if any illegality is detected in the methods adopted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), stressing that its eventual ruling would extend beyond the state.
A division bench led by Justice Suryakant said: “If any illegality is found in the process adopted by the Election Commission in any phase of Bihar elections, the entire process can be cancelled.” The court added that it could not give a piecemeal verdict, since its decision on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would set a precedent for similar exercises across India.
The judges reiterated their belief that the ECI, as a constitutional authority, was following the law and mandatory rules, but fixed October 7 to hear final arguments on the validity of Bihar’s SIR.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), argued that the ECI was not adhering to its guidelines by failing to upload objections raised by citizens. Justice Suryakant responded that the court retained the power to intervene even after the final voter roll is published.
Petitioners’ counsel Gopal Shankar Narayan urged the bench to direct the ECI to publish details of objections daily. Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Commission, countered that weekly disclosures were already being made and that daily updates were impractical. While acknowledging that transparency strengthens public confidence, the bench declined to make it an order.
Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vrinda Grover, appearing for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), pressed for the case to be decided before October 1, when the final roll is due. The bench refused, noting that the matter would be taken up after the Dussehra break.
Petitioners also highlighted the likelihood of the Bihar assembly election schedule being announced in October, with polling required before November 22, but the bench maintained that its October 7 hearing date would stand.
