Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Friday termed the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to continue with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar a “major setback” for the Opposition’s INDIA bloc.
Addressing a press conference, Bhatia criticised opposition parties for attempting to “advance their politics through voters who do not have the constitutional right to vote” and accused them of opposing transparency in the electoral process.
“Those who were trying to politicise the issue using non-eligible voters have received a big jolt. The Supreme Court’s decision has sent a strong message. Leaders like Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi must take note,” Bhatia said.
The remarks came after the Supreme Court refused to stay the ECI’s ongoing voter list revision in Bihar, where Assembly elections are scheduled for later this year. A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, while hearing petitions challenging the ECI’s move, noted that it is for the Commission to decide on the acceptance of identity documents like Aadhaar, ration cards, and voter IDs — and if it declines, it must provide reasons.
Opposition parties have criticised the revision process, calling it a “backdoor NRC” and alleging that it could lead to disenfranchisement of marginalised communities. On Wednesday, the INDIA bloc staged a massive “Bihar Bandh” in Patna against the SIR, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi warned that the alleged pattern of electoral manipulation seen in Maharashtra could be repeated in Bihar.
Despite the opposition’s protests, the top court noted that the revision exercise is bound by a tight timeline, as elections are due in November. The court scheduled the next hearing for July 28 and directed the Election Commission to file its response within a week.
The pleas also questioned the exclusion of Aadhaar and ration cards as valid ID proofs, claiming this would adversely affect rural and economically weaker voters. The Supreme Court observed that Aadhaar should ideally be considered a valid identity document and suggested it be included in the permissible list.
