New Delhi, July 6, 2025: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Bihar. In her petition, Moitra has urged the court to not only annul the Bihar-specific order but also restrain the Election Commission of India (ECI) from issuing similar directives in other states.

The ECI had issued a directive on June 24 to initiate a fresh verification of voters in all 243 assembly constituencies of Bihar. The exercise, which began in late June, includes house-to-house verification of voter credentials and documentation by over 1.5 lakh booth-level agents. The Commission has cited the goal of maintaining an accurate and up-to-date electoral roll. However, the opposition has raised serious concerns over the manner, timing, and intent of the exercise.

Moitra, a Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal, has called the directive unconstitutional, citing violations of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 21, 325, and 326 of the Constitution. She argues that the voter re-verification process is overly burdensome and disproportionately affects the poor, minorities, and marginalized communities. According to her petition, the requirements for documentation are excessively stringent, with commonly used IDs such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, or voter IDs being deemed insufficient in many cases. Instead, field agents are reportedly demanding citizenship proof of parents, failing which names are being marked for deletion from the rolls.

Moitra warns that such measures can result in large-scale disenfranchisement of legitimate voters who have already exercised their franchise in previous elections. Her petition points out that the current process, which allows booth-level agents significant discretion, lacks legal safeguards and opens the door to arbitrary removals.

This legal action follows widespread political backlash in Bihar. The INDIA bloc, consisting of parties like the RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, and others, has united in opposition to the ECI’s move. Senior leaders such as Tejashwi Prasad Yadav have criticized the revision drive, calling it a targeted operation meant to exclude voters from backward, Dalit, and minority communities. At a press conference in Patna on June 27, opposition leaders accused the Election Commission of acting under political pressure and warned that the disenfranchisement of voters could have ripple effects on welfare entitlements and representation.

The 25-day timeframe set for the revision process has also come under fire, with critics arguing that it is unrealistic to expect proper verification of approximately 8 crore voters, especially during the monsoon season. Congress leader Pawan Khera called the exercise a blatant attack on voting rights, while CPI-ML’s Dipankar Bhattacharya labeled it unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy.

Despite the criticism, major political parties including BJP and RJD have already fielded over 56,000 booth-level agents to monitor and participate in the process. However, concerns persist that the current approach could set a precedent for future roll revisions in other states, potentially compromising the right to vote for millions.

Moitra’s petition now places the onus on the Supreme Court to determine whether the ECI has overstepped its mandate. The outcome could have significant implications not just for Bihar, but for the electoral framework across the country as India prepares for key state elections later this year.