Important order of Supreme Court on Bihar SIR, sought details of 65 lakh voters removed from draft voter list:

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Supreme Court has asked to submit the details of about 65 lakh voters excluded from the draft voter list in Bihar by August 9. Justice Suryakant, Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan and Justice N.

Kotishwar Singh asked the Election Commission's counsel to submit the details of deleted voters and give a copy of it to the NGO 'Association for Democratic Reforms'. This detail has already been shared with political parties.

The court gave the order on the request of the NGO

The NGO, which has challenged the Election Commission's June 24 order directing a special thorough revision (SIR) of voter list in Bihar, has filed a fresh application seeking direction to the poll panel to publish the names of around 65 lakh deleted voters, including whether they are dead, have migrated permanently or have not been considered for any other reason.

We will contact every voter-Commission

The bench told advocate Prashant Bhushan, who appeared for the NGO, that the reason for deletion of names will be told later as it is only a draft list right now. Bhushan argued that some political parties have been given the list of deleted voters, but they have not clarified whether the said voter is dead or has migrated. The bench told the Election Commission's lawyer, "We will contact every voter who is affected and get the necessary information. You (Election Commission) file the reply by Saturday and let Mr Bhushan see it, then we will see what has been revealed and what has not."

Jewellery taken without documentation

Bhushan alleged that 75 per cent of the voters who filled the counting form did not submit any supporting documents mentioned in the list of 11 documents and their names were included on the recommendation of the booth level officer (BLO) of the Election Commission. The bench said that it is starting hearing on the petitions challenging the June 24 order of the Election Commission on August 12 and the NGO can make these claims on that day. Describing the Election Commission as a constitutional authority acting in accordance with the law, the apex court had said on July 29 that if there is "large-scale deletion of names" in the SIR of the voter list in Bihar, it will immediately intervene. The bench had set a deadline to consider the petitions challenging the SIR process of the Election Commission in Bihar and said that the issue would be heard on August 12 and 13.