Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Voter Verification Process in Bihar’s SIR Campaign

The Supreme Court has voiced concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign conducted by the Election Commission in Bihar, specifically addressing discrepancies in the voter list. The court was informed that 22 lakh voters have been identified as deceased, and 7 lakh entries are duplicates. The court pressed the Election Commission to explain the reasons for the duplicate entries, emphasizing the importance of maintaining an accurate voter database. The Election Commission clarified its responsibility to prevent duplicate EPICs and to remove voters with multiple EPICs, including those registered outside Bihar. The Supreme Court has noted the Election Commission’s compliance with its instructions and the submission of an affidavit. The court has also mandated that political parties’ BLAs submit objections and claims. With 1.6 lakh BLAs across 12 political parties, the court anticipates approximately 16 lakh objections and claims within the next ten days. The court expressed its surprise at the lack of active participation from the 1.6 lakh BLAs in the process and urged them to assist voters in the process.