Supreme Court Ruling on Bihar Electoral Rolls, A Victory for Voters: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh Friday noted that following the Supreme Court’s recent order the Election Commission will now have to include the EPIC, Aadhar cards, and Ration Cards as proof for voter registration in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar.

Asserting that “This will save a vast majority of voters from being disenfranchised,” Ramesh further underlined: “Moreover the EC’s spin on the no stay being given has been clearly exposed. Page 7 of the order makes it clear that no stay was asked for by any of the petitioners yesterday. Such deliberately misleading headline management does not befit a Constitutional authority.”

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“Following the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order…the Election Commission now has to include the EPIC, Aadhar cards, and Ration Cards in the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. This will save a vast majority of voters from being disenfranchised,” Jairam Ramesh said in a post on handle X.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes after a series of petitions were filed opposing the Election Commission’s special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, arguing that the process disproportionately burdens the poor, migrants, women, and marginalized groups. The court questioned the EC’s decision to exclude Aadhaar from the list of documents deemed acceptable for voter verification. The Apex Court also expressed “serious doubts” over the timing of the electoral roll revision, citing the risk of disenfranchising voters.

Following EC’s initiative to carry out Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar concerns were raised about potential voter disenfranchisement and biases in the electoral process.