Taking note of the Election Commission of India’s submission that claims and objections for voter registration in Bihar draft electoral roll will be considered even after the September 1 deadline, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Bihar Legal Services Authority to depute volunteers to assist voters and political parties for online submission of their claims and corrections under the Special Intensive Revision or SIR exercise.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the petitions filed by political parties seeking to extend the deadline.
The Supreme Court said that each volunteer shall thereafter submit a confidential report to the district and sessions judge (Chairman of DSLA) and that information from volunteers may be collated at the level of state legal service authorities.
“As regards extension of time, note (ECI’s) says that filing of claims/objections or corrections is not barred after 1 Sept. It is stated that the claims/objections/corrections can be submitted even after the deadline, i.e. after 1 September and same will be considered after roll has been finalized. The process will continue until the last date of nominations and all inclusions/exclusions are integrated in the final roll. In light of this stand, let the claims/objections/corrections be continued to be filed,” the bench observed.
The apex court refused to pass any order to extend the September 1 deadline. However, it said that political parties and petitioners can submit their affidavits in response to the ECI’s note.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Shoeb Alam, who appeared for the RJD, argued that electors got only nine days after the Supreme Court allowed the Aadhaar card for inclusion in the draft voter list and therefore, more time should be given.
In its earlier order, the top court had asked the Election Commission of India to publish the list of electors excluded from the draft list and allow them to submit applications for inclusion through online mode using the Aadhar card.
While posting the matter for the next hearing on September 8, the court had assured the petitioners that the matter of deadline extension could be considered at a later stage.