The court also directed the poll panel to give maximum publicity to the publishing of the list in local newspapers, Doordarshan and other channels.
Published Aug 14, 2025 | 5:40 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 14, 2025 | 5:40 PM
Supreme Court of India. (iStock)
Synopsis: The excluded people could submit their claims along with a copy of their Aadhaar cards, the court said while hearing a bunch of petitions filed by Opposition leaders from various States, and organisations such as the Association for Democratic Reforms, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, and the National Federation for Indian Women.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, 14 August, directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the list of 65 lakh names deleted from the draft electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ list in Bihar.
A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi also directed that the list of deleted names must be displayed on district-level websites, notice boards of all panchayat bhawans, block development and panchayat offices in the state.
The ECI had maintained that it was not legally bound to list the excluded names after the SIR. However, the apex court said the reason for exclusion from the draft electoral rolls should also be mentioned on the lists that were to be displayed in Bihar.
The poll panel defended its directive, saying that it was empowered to undertake such an exercise under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The court, however, directed the ECI to give publicity to the publication of the list of deleted people.
“Wide publicity shall be given in vernacular language newspapers which have maximum circulation, and it must be broadcast and telecast on Doordarshan and other channels. The district election officer, if they have a social media handle, shall display the notice there as well,” Bar and Bench reported the court as saying.
The excluded people could submit their claims along with a copy of their Aadhaar cards, the court said while hearing a bunch of petitions filed by Opposition leaders from various States, and organisations such as the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, and the National Federation for Indian Women.
The court’s order has come as a shot in the arm for the INDIA bloc that has been opposing the ECI’s move, which the Opposition termed, an “exercise in mass disenfranchisement” meant to undermine free and fair elections.
