Patna, Bihar: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters\’ lists in Bihar, which the Election Commission of India (ECI) has undertaken, has caused a huge political and legal controversy, with Purnia MP Pappu Yadav firing a sharp salvo. His outbursts reflect the common fears of the opposition INDIA bloc that the exercise is a “conspiracy” to disenfranchise tens of millions of genuine voters ahead of the state\’s upcoming assembly elections.
Patna, Bihar: On the hearing in the Supreme Court on the voter list revision case in the state, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav says, “I don’t understand how names are being identified. When you’re not asking for any documents, there’s no proof — you\’re not verifying anything. You just… pic.twitter.com/wTX7uawKxQ
— IANS (@ians_india) July 13, 2025
Pappu Yadav Explores the Verification Process
While a recent Supreme Court hearing on the topic was underway, Pappu Yadav\’s problems were brought to the fore. “I don\’t understand how names are being identified. When you\’re not requesting any documents, there\’s no evidence — you\’re not verifying anything,” he said. He explained what seemed to be the contradiction in the process, wondering how officials are “identifying who is from Bangladesh or Nepal” without a clear, document-based verification process. Yadav wondered how someone can be removed from the list who has an Aadhaar card but no other document, something of concern for many.
The row pertains to the initial directions of the ECI for the SIR, wherein Aadhaar cards, voter ID cards, and ration cards were not on the list of documents that would be required. The step was criticized by the likes of Pappu Yadav and opposition leaders on the grounds that the step would disproportionately affect marginalized and migrant voters who rely mainly on such kinds of identification.
Legal Challenge and the Supreme Court\’s Role
To the SIR petitions, the Supreme Court, while not suspending the revision process, made a notable observation. On July 10, the court requested the ECI to “in the interest of justice” treat the Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and voter ID cards as valid identification documents for registration and verification. The court also raised the question of revising at such proximity to the state elections and requested the ECI to file an affidavit justifying its process. The hearing is on July 28.
The ECI has defended the exercise, saying the SIR is a routine, constitutionally mandated process to ensure the purity of the electoral roll. However, the opposition is still wary, with protests and litigation bringing to the fore the high suspicion surrounding the process. The Supreme Court\’s action has granted the petitioners a half-win, but the final outcome of the legal battle and its impact on the elections remain to be seen.
