Bihar SIR Row: 65 Lakh Voters’ Omissions to Be Published, SC Orders ECI

In a decisive move to ensure transparency in Bihar’s electoral process, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday confirmed it will make public the list of approximately 65 lakh voters omitted from the draft electoral roll due to reasons such as death, migration, or other discrepancies. The announcement follows a pointed direction from the Supreme Court, signaling the judiciary’s firm stance on voter rights.

Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the ECI, said the list—already shared with Booth Level Agents of political parties—will now be accessible online, enabling citizens to verify details using their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, ordered that the list of voters present in the 2025 rolls but omitted from the draft be displayed both digitally and physically. The court emphasized that information must be booth-wise, with clear mention of reasons for exclusion. Each District Electoral Officer and the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar are tasked with uploading these lists on official websites.

In addition to online access, the bench mandated that notice boards in panchayat bhavans and block development offices carry the booth-wise lists, ensuring local-level transparency. The court also instructed the ECI to launch a comprehensive publicity campaign, including public notices in widely circulated Hindi, English, and vernacular newspapers, as well as broadcasts on Doordarshan and All India Radio. If district officers maintain social media handles, the lists must also be shared there, further widening public accessibility.

Reacting to the verdict, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh hailed the Supreme Court’s intervention as a "categorical, convincing, and courageous" affirmation of the Constitution. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh described the ruling as a “beacon of hope” in the ongoing struggle to safeguard democratic processes, calling it a “gigantic first step” in protecting the rights of ordinary voters from manipulation.

The Supreme Court has just upheld the Constitution of India in a categorical, convincing, and courageous manner. It is a long struggle to rescue our Republic from the machinations of the PM and his drumbeaters. But today's verdict of the Supreme Court on the Bihar SIR issue is a…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 14, 2025

The court’s directions come amid growing scrutiny of electoral rolls in Bihar, where allegations of arbitrary omissions and errors have sparked widespread concern. By mandating complete public disclosure, the Supreme Court has reinforced the principle that every eligible citizen’s right to vote must be protected, sending a strong signal to the Election Commission and political parties alike: transparency is non-negotiable.

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