Bihar SIR: SC allows voters to submit claims with Aadhaar or 11 documents; criticises parties for inaction
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Bihar SIR: SC allows voters to submit claims with Aadhaar or 11 documents; criticises parties for inaction
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Election Commission of India to allow voters excluded from the draft electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar to submit claims online. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi allowed claim forms to be submitted along with an Aadhaar card or any one of the 11 documents already accepted under the SIR.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi allowed claim forms to be submitted along with an Aadhaar card or any one of the 11 documents already accepted under the SIR. The court stressed that the exercise must be “voter friendly”, and Aadhaar, being widely held, should be accepted to ease the process.
Expressing surprise at the inaction of political parties in helping citizens file objections related to over 65 lakh excluded voters, the court directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar to implead them in the proceedings.
“All political parties shall file a status report by the next date of hearing on the claim forms they have facilitated for excluded voters,” the bench said, posting the matter for September 8. It also directed election officials to provide acknowledgement receipts to booth-level agents (BLAs) submitting claim forms physically on behalf of voters.
Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the poll panel, urged the court to give ECI a 15-day window to demonstrate that no genuine voters were excluded.
“Political parties are making hue and cry and things are not bad. Repose faith in us and give us some more time. We will be able to show there are no exclusions,” he said.