Bihar SIR ruling to apply pan-India, final hearing set for October 7: SC

Guwahati, Sept 15: The Supreme Court, on Monday, fixed October 7 for hearing final arguments on validity of Bihar special intensive revision (SIR), while refusing to offer any "any piecemeal opinion" on the exercise.

"Our judgement in Bihar SIR will be applicable for Pan-India SIR," a division bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said, clarifying it can't stop the poll panel from conducting the similar exercise for revision of electoral roll across the country.

The court observed that it is presuming the Election Commission of India (ECI), as a constitutional authority, is conducting the exercise in line with the law. However, it cautioned that if any illegality is detected, the revision could be set aside.

The bench, however, allowed petitioners against the Bihar SIR exercise to also argue on the pan-India SIR on October 7.

The top court, in the meantime, issued notice on a plea seeking the recall of the September 8 top court order directing the poll panel to include Aadhaar card as the 12th prescribed document in the Bihar SIR.

On September 8, the apex court clarified Aadhaar will not be proof of citizenship and the poll panel can ascertain its genuineness on being submitted by an elector for inclusion in the electoral roll.

With the verdict set to have a nationwide impact, political observers note the outcome will be particularly significant for Assam, where assembly elections are approaching.

Earlier, ECI sources told The Assam Tribune that a plan has already been chalked out to conduct a SIR of the electoral rolls across the country.

However, it has not yet been decided whether a special revision in Assam will be undertaken before the State Assembly elections due in April next year.

While the rollout date is still undecided, the ECI source said states have been asked to make preparations for the exercise, with some already taking the initiative.

With inputs from PTI