Supreme Court Upholds Voter Rights in Bihar's Electoral Roll Revision
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity & Governance (Election Commission of India - ECI, Supreme Court, Universal Adult Franchise, Principles of Natural Justice, Aadhaar).
Mains: GS Paper 2 (Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability; Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions; Role of Judiciary in upholding democratic principles).
Key Highlights from the News
Main Event: The Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the details of 6.5 million voters excluded from Bihar's draft voter list, along with the reasons for their exclusion.
Editorial Viewpoint: The Supreme Court's order is a "warning" against the ECI's "hasty and unilateral" Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
ECI's Failures:
Lack of Transparency: Failed to publish a complete list of excluded voters with reasons.
Violation of Natural Justice: Mass exclusion of voters without hearing their side, violating the principles of natural justice.
Data Inconsistencies: Discrepancies in data, such as more women being excluded than men.
Supreme Court's Key Directives:
Publish the list of excluded individuals with reasons.
Directed the ECI to accept Aadhaar as an identity document for those wishing to file complaints about their exclusion.
Underlying Principle: This incident underscores the importance of protecting Universal adult franchise, which is the foundation of Indian democracy.
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