The Supreme Court of India has permitted the Election Commission to proceed with its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar, characterizing it as a “constitutional mandate.” The court has also instructed the Election Commission to recognize Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards as valid documents during this revision process.
Following this decision, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed that the Supreme Court’s ruling serves as a “befitting reply” to opposition parties. The BJP has called for a public apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav for their opposition to the electoral exercise. The party has accused Congress of “double standards,” highlighting the contradiction in their stance; while Congress previously opposed linking Aadhaar to voter IDs, arguing that citizenship cannot solely rely on Aadhaar, they are now supportive of it.
Jairam Ramesh, Congress’s general secretary responsible for communications, stated that the Election Commission must include the EPIC, Aadhaar cards, and ration cards in the SIR following the court’s order. He argued that this inclusion will help protect a significant number of voters from disenfranchisement.
Commenting on Congress’s shift in position regarding Aadhaar and voter IDs, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra labeled this a “double standard.” He pointed out that Congress had previously opposed the linking, with some leaders even approaching the Supreme Court over the matter. Patra asserted that Congress’s current support for the linkage indicates their worry about potential defeat in upcoming elections.
Another BJP spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatia, emphasized that the Supreme Court’s observations affirm that the SIR is a necessary process for ensuring transparent and fair voting. He reiterated that the initiation of this special revision falls well within the Election Commission’s constitutional authority.
Bhatia also demanded that both Yadav and Gandhi apologize publicly to the people of Bihar, acknowledging the Supreme Court’s remarks. He questioned whether Yadav would accept the court’s decision and asked Gandhi to clarify why he was protesting in Patna just before the case was to be heard in court, implying a lack of faith in judicial proceedings.
In addition to their criticisms of the opposition, BJP leaders highlighted what they called an “internal tussle” within Congress regarding its leadership in Karnataka. They claimed that with dissatisfaction among the public over the Congress government in the state, both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar are more focused on maintaining power than on effective governance.
According to Bhatia, the residents of Karnataka are seeking reliable leadership, while Congress leaders are engaged in “dirty politics,” making it unfortunate for the people of the state who are suffering as a result.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/sc-observation-on-bihar-voter-list-befitting-reply-bjp-hits-back-at-opposition-13905489.html
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Publish Date: 2025-07-11 23:59:00
