The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s (EC) latest decision.
The plea targets the EC’s order to conduct a Special Intensive Voter List Revision in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
According to ADR, this move by the Commission is arbitrary and could deprive millions of eligible voters of their fundamental rights.
The petition claims that nearly three crore migrant workers may lose their right to vote under this new revision process.
ADR argues that the revision order unfairly affects rural and marginalised communities, many of whom lack the required identity documents.
These citizens, it adds, are at serious risk of exclusion from the electoral rolls.
Earlier, opposition parties met with EC officials and urged them to withdraw this decision.
The Commission, however, refused to roll back the voter list revision exercise.
In its Supreme Court petition, ADR alleges that the order violates multiple constitutional rights.
These include Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 19 (Freedom of Expression), and Article 21 (Right to Life and Liberty). The plea also cites Article 325 and Article 326, which protect citizens’ electoral rights.
ADR further argues that the EC’s directive violates Section 21A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. It also allegedly contravenes the Voter Registration Rules of 1960.
Opposition leaders allege that this process is a deliberate attempt to exclude poor, backwards, and minority communities from the voter list.
They describe the timing and scale of the revision as suspicious and politically motivated.
The EC has issued 8 crore enumeration forms to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for door-to-door data collection.
BLOs will visit households and help voters fill out these forms with updated information.
As per EC guidelines, 3.16 crore voters registered before January 1, 2023, must reconfirm their details.
Another 4.74 crore voters will have to submit proof of identity and residence.
The Commission has listed 11 valid documents for this process.
These include caste or residence certificates, birth certificates, 10th-grade mark sheets, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, ration cards, driving licenses, and MGNREGA job cards.
The Supreme Court is yet to hear ADR’s petition. Meanwhile, the issue has sparked strong political debate ahead of the Bihar polls.
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