In a significant Bihar assembly election, political activist and election reform advocate Yogendra Yadav has filed a Public Interest Litigation in Supreme Court while challenging the Election Commission of India taking decision to conduct a special Intensive Revision for the state electoral rolls. This field is under Article 32 of the Constitution, seeking an immediate stay on the ongoing revision process and citing concerns over the mass of voters which are particularly from the margianalized communities.
Manifestly and Unreasonable
Yadav argues that the ECI’s in June 24 and directive is Manifestly and Unreasonable that violates several provisions of electoral laws and constitutional rights. This revision mandates that even existing voters must re-submit identity documents from a narrow list of 11 approved proofs with widely used documents such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and MGNREGA job cards.
The petition warns that this process affects vulnerable groups
Women, daily-wage laborers, migrants, and Scheduled Castes and Tribes, and those who lack the required documentation. Yadav says that the timing of the revision uring Bihar’s monsoon season will further be complicated for the verification process, especially in the rural and flood-prone areas where access to these official records are limited.
Yadav’s petition draws key upon Supreme Court
The KS Puttaswamy judgment over privacy and the Lal Babu Hussein ruling upheld with the principle of continuing the registration for voters. He says that the current revision undermines in the settled expectations and would disenfranchise millions of those who have participated in the multiple past elections.
The PIL urges to Supreme Court to halt the SIR process
For upcoming elections the electoral rolls have last updated in January 2025. The court is expected to hear the matter in the upcoming days with the implications for voter right in Bihar.
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