Kapil Sibal Questions Timing of Bihar Voter Roll Revision as SC Defers Interim Relief

NDC DESK

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to grant interim relief in petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, but agreed to hear the matter further on July 10.

Appearing before the bench, senior advocate Kapil Sibal pressed for an early hearing, citing serious concerns over the timing and potential impact of the voter list revision ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. He urged the court to list the matter urgently so that arguments for a possible stay could be addressed before irreversible steps are taken.

“This exercise, carried out so close to the elections, raises questions about fairness and transparency”, Sibal argued, expressing apprehension that the sudden revision may open the door to voter list manipulation.

The petition, among others, has been filed by former Bihar MLA Mujahid Alam, who challenged the ECI’s move to begin immediate implementation of the revision process in Bihar, as part of a nationwide directive.

Alam’s plea contends that such a large-scale revision, so close to the 18th Bihar Assembly elections, could compromise the electoral process and undermine voter rights. He argues that the hurried update of rolls without adequate checks could lead to exclusion or wrongful inclusion of voters, impacting the legitimacy of the poll outcome.

While the apex court declined to halt the process at this stage, it agreed to scrutinize the Election Commission’s decision in depth at the next hearing.

The case touches on broader concerns about electoral integrity and administrative neutrality in the run-up to elections —an issue senior advocates like Kapil Sibal have consistently flagged in recent years.