The Election Commission of India (ECI) has agreed to put out the names of approximately 65 lakh voters that have been deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar. The EC has told the Supreme Court that it would make arrangements to put out the list in public domain, after the top court asked the poll panel to do so by Tuesday (August 19) in searchable format. The top court asked the ECI to ensure that families of those whose names have been removed have the right to know the reason about the same.
The SC has also asked the poll officials to make public the information about the list being put out through radio, social media and other channels in the state of Bihar.
The Supreme Court began hearing a batch of petitions against the ECI’s SIR exercise in Bihar earlier this week. On Thursday, it said that “disclosing names of dead, migrated or shifted electors on display board or website will give chance for correction of inadvertent errors.”
ECI argued that the list of names of persons who have died, migrated or shifted given to workers of political parties. To this, the top court asked why can’t the poll body put in on their website so that people can take remedial measures within 30 days.
“Why can’t you put these names on display board or on website? Those aggrieved can take remedial measures within 30 days,” the SC said, quoted Live Law.
“…A data available on a query. instead of that, if you could put entire data set on website, they can scroll down and find…” Justice Bagchi noted during the hearing. Justice Kant, who is also part of the bench, said that if EC shares the list with local level officer, the villagers will be at mercy of these officials to know what exactly happened.
To this, EC’s counsel said it would put the data out on district website. “District ERO has a website. For every district, we will put…”
“In info you make available, mention ‘dead’, ‘migrated’, etc. in a column. your list of 11 documents seems citizen-friendly, but Aadhaar and EPIC are readily available…your notice can say those who have not submitted so far, they can submit their Aadhaar and EPIC also,” the bench further said.
The matter gained limelight after the opposition parties called the exercise an attempt to reduced the number of voters in poll-bound Bihar to give BJP-led NDA an edge in the assembly elections. Recently, they also marched towards the EC office from Parliament creating a huge ruckus, leading to a brief detention of several leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Mahua Moitra, among others.
What SC said in its order
The Supreme Court said that the Election commission must make voters aware, and release list to disclose the reason for non-inclusion in the draft roll.
The court also asked them to “to give wide publicity about displaying of above list, wide publicity to be given in newspapers having max. circulation in Bihar. In addition, it shall also be broadcast on Doordarshan and radio channels”
“If district electoral officers have social media site, they will display public notice on that site also,” it added, quoted Live Law
In the public notice, the ECI has been directed to mentioned that the aggrieved persons may submit their claims along with copy of Aadhaar card.
In addition to this, the apex court said, booth-wise lists of 65 lakh voters (approx.) should also be displayed on notice board by each booth-level officer in panchayat offices – so that people have have access to these lists, with reasons.
The court has kept the hearing on next Friday to understand the EC’s plan with the SIR exercise.