Bihar SIR claims, objections can be filed even after September 1 deadline: ECI to SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday recorded the submission of the Election Commission of India (ECI) that claims/objections for the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls can be filed even after the September 1 deadline.

The counsel appearing for the poll body further assured the top court that all such claims/objections filed before the last date of nominations shall be duly considered. Recording this submission, a division bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi did not pass any order on a plea seeking extension to the September 1 deadline.

The bench also requested the chairman of the Bihar State Legal Services Authority to depute para legal volunteers to assist electors and political parties in submitting online claims, objections or corrections to the electoral roll. This, the bench observed, was done to tackle the "unfortunate trust deficit" in ECI by a few electors and political parties.

The bench further ordered that each para legal volunteer will then submit a confidential report to the chairman to the District Legal Services Authority. "This information so collected from the PLV may be collated at the level of State Legal Services Authority for further consideration," the bench further ordered. The counsel for ECI submitted that the commission has received more claims/objections for "exclusion" from the draft roll than for "inclusion". As regards RJD's application seeking extension of the deadline, the ECI counsel argued that their only grievance was that the objections filed by them have not been shown in their names.