New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed that persons excluded from the draft electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar can submit their applications for inclusion through online mode, and physical submission of forms is not mandatory.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that an individual person, on their own or with the assistance of booth-level agents (BLAs) of a political party, is entitled to apply online and does not need to submit the application in physical form.
The bench also instructed the 12 recognised political parties in Bihar to direct their booth-level agents to assist voters in their respective booths with the submission of forms.
Expressing surprise, the bench noted that despite there being around 1.6 lakh BLAs in Bihar, only two objections have been submitted by them.
The court further observed submissions from some parties alleging that officials were not acknowledging objections raised by BLAs.
The bench said all 12 political parties in Bihar shall issue specific directions to party workers to assist people in filing and submission of requisite forms with any 11 documents in Form 6 or Aadhaar Card to get themselves included in the voters’ list.
It said BLAs of all political parties are directed to make an endeavour that approximately 65 lakh persons not included in the draft rolls are facilitated, except those who are dead or have voluntarily migrated, in submitting their objections by the cutoff date of September 1.
The court also impleaded the 12 registered political parties in the case.
The top court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the poll panel’s move to conduct SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar.
The Election Commission has also filed an affidavit stating that the list of names and details of 65 lakh electors in Bihar who were not included in the draft roll published on August 1 has been posted on the websites of all 38 District Electoral Officers in the state.
The list also contained the reasons for their non-inclusion, including death, shifting of ordinary residence, or duplicate entries, ECI told the apex court.
