New Delhi: On Monday, the Supreme Court instructed the Election Commission to contemplate the acceptance of Aadhaar and Voter ID (EPIC card) as legitimate documents for the SIR process during the hearing regarding the revision of the voter list in Bihar, in anticipation of the assembly elections.

The highest court also rejected the petitioners’ plea to suspend the Bihar SIR, emphasizing that the draft is nearing completion and the outcome of the process can be determined once it is finalized.

It is important to note that multiple petitions were submitted to the Supreme Court contesting the procedure, voicing concerns about purported irregularities in the draft electoral list.

Petitioners allege inconsistencies
During the proceedings, petitioners asserted that the personal information of numerous voters was recorded without their awareness or consent, and in certain instances, the names of deceased individuals were included in the documentation.

However, the apex court remarked that since the process remains in its preliminary phase, there is no justification for halting it at this juncture.

The Bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, scheduled the matter for further hearing on July 29.

EC reports 92% voter participation in SIR
As per the EC, more than 7.24 crore of Bihar’s 7.89 crore eligible voters engaged in the SIR process, reflecting an approximate turnout of 92 percent. In a press release dated July 27, the Commission addressed the situation concerning the 35 lakh voters identified as absent from the rolls.

The EC clarified that a considerable portion of these individuals had either relocated to other states or union territories, while others had unfortunately passed away. The electoral body noted that several individuals failed to submit their enumeration forms or opted not to register.

Furthermore, the EC indicated that the final assessment of these voters’ status will be conducted following a thorough review by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), which is anticipated to be completed by August 1.