Bihar SIR row: Uploaded data of voters omitted in draft list, EC tells SC

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) A day before the crucial hearing in the Supreme Court on pleas challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, the Election Commission of India (ECI) filed a status report stating that it has complied with the top court's interim order on the disclosure of omitted names.

"The booth-wise list of about 65 lakh persons whose names do not appear in the draft electoral roll has been published on the website of all 38 District Election Officers (DEOs) in the state of Bihar, along with reasons for their non-inclusion in the draft electoral roll, i.e., whether it is on account of death, shifting of ordinary residence or duplicate entries," said the status report filed by the poll body.

It added that the list containing omitted names has also been displayed at Panchayat Bhavans, Block Development Offices, and Panchayat Officer offices across Bihar.

The poll body also apprised the top court that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Assistants (BLAs) are also in possession of the list to assist residents in checking the reasons for their non-inclusion.

"The BLOs/BLAs are also in possession of the said list and they are available to the residents of such villages and urban areas to enable inquiry about the reasons for their non-inclusion and also to seek assistance and for filing claims/objections/corrections in accordance with procedure prescribed by SIR order dated June 24, 2025," the ECI said.

To ensure public awareness, the poll body said that it has undertaken an extensive publicity campaign informing the online and offline availability of the list to the public through newspapers, radio, electronic media, and social media platforms, including the official accounts of the DEOs.

"The public notices expressly mentions that aggrieved persons may submit their claims along with a copy of their Aadhaar card," it added.

The ECI annexed reports from all 38 DEOs, along with the Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) report on compliance of the interim order of the Supreme Court passed last week.

In a bid to "boost voter confidence", the Supreme Court, in an interim order passed on August 14, directed the poll body to upload district-wise data of about 65 lakh electors in poll-bound Bihar whose names were omitted in the draft electoral rolls following the initial phase of the SIR.

The information uploaded on the websites of the District Electoral Officers and the Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar should be searchable using EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) numbers, directed a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi.

The Justice Kant-led bench said that the ECI would give wide publicity to the list uploaded on the official websites through newspapers, electronic, social media and other means of communication.

The Supreme Court also directed the poll body to specify in public notices that excluded individuals, when submitting their claims for inclusion in the final list, may also furnish their Aadhaar cards.

--IANS

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