The Supreme Court on Monday, July 7, declined to grant an interim stay on the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. However, the apex court agreed to further examine the issue and scheduled the next hearing for July 10.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the matter, requested an early hearing on multiple petitions challenging the ECI’s move. He emphasized the urgency of addressing the potential implications of the voter list revision before the elections and urged the Court to consider granting a stay.
Among the petitioners is former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam, who has approached the Supreme Court opposing the timing of the voter list revision. Alam’s petition questions the rationale behind initiating such a wide-scale update of the electoral rolls just before the 18th Bihar Assembly elections.
He argues that the timing raises concerns about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process in the state. The petition alleges that an abrupt revision could open the door to manipulation of the voter rolls and infringe upon voters’ rights.
The Election Commission has announced the special revision as part of a nationwide initiative, but its immediate rollout in Bihar has sparked legal and political pushback. The Supreme Court will now deliberate on the legality and timing of the ECI’s decision in the upcoming hearing.
