SC Warns Election Commission Over Mass Voter Deletions in Bihar Verification Drive

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has issued a stern warning to the Election Commission (EC) regarding the ongoing intensive verification of the voter list in Bihar. The court made it clear that it will intervene if the process results in the mass exclusion of voters without proper justification.

The warning came during a hearing of a plea filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), where senior advocate Prashant Bhushan flagged concerns that nearly 65 lakh (6.5 million) voters could be removed from the electoral rolls due to the verification drive, which allegedly demands excessive documentation for citizenship proof.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi reminded the Commission that as a constitutional authority, it must act strictly in accordance with the law. The court is currently examining the matter in detail and has directed the petitioners to produce 15 individuals whom the EC had marked as deceased but who are, in fact, alive—raising concerns about the accuracy and fairness of the verification process.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the matter, said there would be no issue if such a large number of voters are not actually being deleted. However, the bench instructed Sibal to inform the court if the EC remains silent about such a significant number of potential deletions in the draft voter list.

In response, the Election Commission argued that a mechanism exists for addressing grievances against the draft list and that the process is being carried out per existing legal norms. However, the court noted the urgency of the matter and scheduled the case for further hearings on August 12 and 13.

The bench also suggested that the EC consider Voter ID and Aadhaar cards as valid identity documents during the verification process, aiming to reduce the burden on citizens who may not possess additional citizenship documents.

The issue arose following the EC's announcement of a "special intensive verification" of electoral rolls in Bihar, a state known for its complex socio-political landscape and frequent allegations of irregularities in voter registration. Reports suggest that the drive has led to widespread anxiety, particularly among marginalised communities, due to fears of disenfranchisement.

Rights groups, civil society organisations, opposition parties argue that requiring citizenship documents, which many poor and rural voters may not possess, is unconstitutional and discriminatory. Critics also fear that this could disproportionately affect minority groups, echoing concerns raised during the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam.