SC sets 7 October for final hearing on pleas against validity of Bihar SIR

The Supreme Court on Monday, 15 September, said it was proceeding on the presumption that the Election Commission of India (ECI), as a constitutional authority, was adhering to the law while conducting the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

At the same time, the court cautioned that if any illegality were found, the entire exercise would be set aside.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi fixed 7 October for final arguments on the validity of the Bihar SIR, making it clear that it would not deliver any "piecemeal opinion" on the matter before then.

The bench also underlined that its ruling in the Bihar case would apply nationwide, impacting SIR exercises conducted across India. It permitted the petitioners, who have challenged the Bihar SIR, to also present arguments against the pan-India SIR during the upcoming hearing.

Meanwhile, the top court issued notice on a plea seeking the recall of its 8 September order, which had directed the poll panel to add the Aadhaar card as the 12th valid document for the ongoing revision of rolls in Bihar.

On 8 September, the court had clarified that Aadhaar cannot serve as proof of citizenship, but the ECI could verify its authenticity when submitted by an applicant seeking inclusion in the electoral roll.

With PTI inputs