In a major push for electoral transparency, the Supreme Court on Thursday, August 14, directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to make public the names of over 65 lakh voters removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

The directive, issued by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, comes amid growing concerns that mass deletions could distort the state’s upcoming elections. The court ordered the ECI to upload the complete list on its official website, allowing open scrutiny by political parties, civil rights groups, and the public.

“This is a matter of public importance. The deletions must be transparent, and people must know whether they or their family members have been struck off the list,” the bench observed.

The court instructed that the ECI give wide publicity to the deletions through newspapers, television, and social media. Public notices must clearly inform citizens that they can submit claims for inclusion in the final roll, with Aadhaar or other valid identification as proof.

The Commission has been told to complete the publication and awareness drive by Tuesday, August 19.

The orders were issued during a hearing on petitions — including one from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) — challenging the conduct of the SIR. ADR demanded that the ECI not only disclose the names but also specify reasons for each deletion. While the ECI initially resisted, citing no statutory requirement, the court overruled and emphasised that transparency in voter lists is integral to free and fair elections.

The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on Friday, August 22, where the court will review compliance and decide on additional directions.