Hours after Supreme Court hearing petitions on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on electoral rolls by Election Commission in Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday (July 10, 2025) “welcomed” the step and asserted that “Its implementation was necessary to ensure that only citizens of the country were enrolled”. The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal said they welcomed Supreme Court asking EC to include Aadhar and other cards into SIT exercise.

“We welcome the Supreme Court decision. No one interferes with the work of the Election Commission. We only give suggestions. The Supreme Court is of the view that Aadhar Card, PAN Card and Ration Card could be considered in SIR”, said Mr. Choudhary in Ranchi. Mr. Choudhary was in Ranchi to attend 27th Eastern Zonal Council meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

While hearing a number of petitions on ongoing SIR on electoral rolls in Bihar, Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Election Commission to continue with SIR while calling it a “constitutional mandate”. “The constitution of India says that only an Indian citizen can be a voter”, Mr. Choudhary further said while asserting, “SIR drive should continue”.

Party leader and BJP MP from Saran, Rajiv Pratap Rudy too said, “As per the constitution, the poll body has right to conduct electoral roll revision in Bihar where elections are due in three months. However, the Opposition have moved to the Supreme Court, claiming that it is a way to separate some of the voters who are from a different caste or a religion— a claim which is absolutely false. The Supreme Court has not stayed the poll body’s decision”.

The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and spokespersons, Mrityunjay Tiwari told media persons, “We only wanted to include documents like Aadhar Card, Ration Card and MNREGA card to be included in the list for SIR on electoral roll in the State and the Supreme Court has asked EC to include these. We never said that SIR is illegal and should not be continued. We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision asking the EC to include these cards in SIR exercise”.