NEW DELHI — In a significant ruling aimed at ensuring wider voter participation, the Supreme Court today directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to accept online claim forms for voters in Bihar whose names are missing from the electoral list. The court clarified that applicants may submit their forms using an Aadhaar card or any of the 11 other documents previously listed by the ECI, without the need for physical submission.
The order was passed by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi while hearing a batch of pleas challenging the ECI’s June 26 order regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
To facilitate the process, the apex court also instructed all 12 recognized political parties in Bihar to have their booth-level agents assist individuals who have been omitted from the voters’ list. The court has ordered that these political parties be formally impleaded in the SIR matter.
The directive seeks to simplify the process for voters, particularly those who may have faced difficulties in getting their names included during the ongoing revision exercise. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on September 8.
(ATP)