TMC’s Mahua Moitra Moves Supreme Court Against EC’s Voter Roll Revision in Bihar

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar — a state heading into crucial Assembly elections later this year.

In her petition, Moitra has termed the EC’s move as arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional, claiming it disproportionately affects vulnerable sections of society, including the poor, women, and migrant workers.

The last such revision in Bihar was conducted in 2003. On June 24, the EC announced that it would undertake a fresh house-to-house voter verification drive across the state to ensure only eligible names remain on the rolls — citing concerns like rapid urbanisation, rising migration, under-reporting of deaths, and potential inclusion of illegal immigrants.

The EC defended the move, stating that the process is aimed at cleaning up the electoral rolls and will be conducted strictly in line with Article 326 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Booth-level officers have already begun door-to-door surveys as part of the exercise.

However, Moitra’s petition warns that the drive could result in large-scale disenfranchisement. She has urged the apex court to immediately halt the implementation of the order in Bihar and direct the Commission not to introduce similar revisions in other states.

Her plea is backed by concerns already raised by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a leading election transparency watchdog, which has also moved the Supreme Court. Represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, ADR argues that the EC’s directive lacks transparency, violates constitutional rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326, and fails to follow due process.

“The documentation requirements and tight timelines are unreasonable,” Bhushan stated. “This exercise, if unchecked, will likely lead to the deletion of lakhs of genuine voters from Bihar’s electoral rolls.”

As political temperatures rise ahead of Bihar’s Assembly elections, the voter roll revision exercise has now become a flashpoint. Opposition parties fear the move may be used to suppress dissenting votes, while the EC maintains that it is a routine clean-up to ensure electoral integrity.