Appearing for the petitioner-organisation Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Advocate Prashant Bhushan urged the Court to direct the ECI to publish both the list of 3.66 lakh voters additionally deleted from the final rolls and the names of the 21 lakh persons newly included.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the final electoral roll prepared during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar had been notified, and that most of the 21 lakh names added were those of new voters, with only a small portion belonging to previously registered electors.

A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the SIR, noted that there appeared to be some “confusion” over whether the voters newly added to the rolls were from among 65 lakh names earlier deleted from the draft list or were entirely new names.

Appearing for the petitioner-organisation Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Advocate Prashant Bhushan urged the Court to direct the ECI to publish both the list of 3.66 lakh voters additionally deleted from the final rolls and the names of the 21 lakh persons newly included.

Bhushan argued that the Commission had not disclosed the reasons for the deletions and had failed to publish the updated list showing those removed after the draft roll’s release. “The process lacks transparency and accountability,” he said.

Representing the ECI, Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi maintained that due process had been followed and that “deleted persons have been given the orders.” He added that no affected voter had approached the Court or filed an appeal and asserted that “only politicians and NGOs sitting in Delhi are raising the issue.”

At this stage, Justice Kant observed that those whose names had been struck off must have the opportunity to appeal. “If anyone can give the list of voters out of these 3.66 lakh who have not received orders, we will direct the Election Commission to give them those orders. Everyone has a right to appeal,” the Bench said.

After hearing all sides, the Supreme Court adjourned proceedings and listed the matter for further hearing on Thursday (October 9).

The petitions before the Court challenge the ECI’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls, questioning the legality and fairness of the large-scale deletions and additions carried out during the exercise.