Roll recall , Pg6

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the names of 65 lakh voters excluded from Bihar’s draft electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
• The court's order mandates the ECI to disclose the reasons for exclusion against each name, addressing concerns about transparency and fairness.
• Data analysis revealed a higher exclusion rate for women (32 lakh) compared to men (25 lakh), despite demographic indicators suggesting otherwise.
• The court has urged the ECI to include Aadhaar as a valid identity document for filing objections, which the ECI has now accepted.

Detailed Insights:

• The SIR exercise, conducted after the ECI's summary revision in January, raises questions about its constitutionality and necessity.
• The ECI's insistence on vetting voters based on 11 indicative documents, initially excluding Aadhaar, has been challenged by the court.
• The ECI's non-transparent approach in conducting the SIR has made it difficult for civil society to scrutinize electoral rolls.
• The court's intervention aims to ensure adherence to the principles of natural justice and uphold the cornerstone of universal adult franchise.
• The upcoming hearings and ECI's actions in rectifying the SIR process are crucial for addressing concerns about voter enrolment.
• The acceptance of Aadhaar as a valid document is a significant step towards more inclusive voter registration.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Electoral Roll: An official list of persons qualified to vote in an election.
• Universal Adult Franchise: The right of all adult citizens to vote, regardless of wealth, income, gender, race, ethnicity, belief, or social status.
• Natural Justice: The principle that everyone should be treated fairly, and decisions should be made impartially.