A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, hearing a batch of petitions challenging the SIR process, asked the poll panel to display the names district-wise on the websites of the respective district election officers
The Supreme Court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 22. File pic
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the details of around 65 lakh voters whose names were removed from the draft electoral roll released on August 1, in the wake of the special intensive revision (SIR) of rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, hearing a batch of petitions challenging the SIR process, asked the poll panel to display the names district-wise on the websites of the respective district election officers, reported PTI.
“The list of approximately 65 lakh voters, whose names appeared in the voter list as on 2025 but are not included in the draft roll dated August 1, 2025, shall be displayed on the websites of the district election officers (District-wise),” the bench said.
The court clarified that the information would be booth-wise and could be accessed using the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number of each voter.
“The list so displayed shall also disclose the reason for non-inclusion in the draft roll,” it added.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar was directed to obtain soft copies of the district-wise lists, along with the reasons for exclusion, and display them on the CEO’s website, reported PTI.
The eight-page order stated: “It is clarified that the lists so displayed in all the websites shall be in searchable mode with the EPIC number.”
In addition, the bench ordered the booth-wise lists to be displayed on notice boards at panchayat bhavans and offices of block development officers or panchayat officers to ensure public access, reported PTI.
“To inform the people about online availability of the above-mentioned lists on the websites of the district election officer and the display of such lists at the panchayat bhavans and the offices of the block Development/Panchayat Officers, extensive publicity shall be given in the daily newspapers in the vernacular language as well as English newspapers having wide circulation in the state of Bihar,” the order said.
It also directed dissemination through radio, television, and official social media accounts of the election authorities.
The court further stated that the public notice must specify that aggrieved voters can submit their claims along with a copy of their Aadhaar card.
“The Election Commission of India shall obtain a compliance report from all the booth level officers and District Election Officers and place it on record as a collated status report,” the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on August 22.
(With PTI inputs)
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