The Congress on Thursday called the Supreme Court’s order mandating the Election Commission to publish the list of 65 lakh names deleted from the electoral rolls in Bihar after the special intensive revision of voters lists “a gigantic first step”.
The Congress has been spearheading the Opposition’s campaign against the poll panel’s drive and has called the SIR an exercise in mass disenfranchisement.
“The Supreme Court has just upheld the Constitution of India in a categorical, convincing, and courageous manner,” Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle minutes after news of the Supreme Court order broke.
“It is a long struggle to rescue our Republic from the machinations of the PM and his drumbeaters. But today's verdict of the Supreme Court on the Bihar SIR issue is a beacon of hope. It is a gigantic first step,” he added.
The Supreme Court order came after the apex court heard a bunch of petitions against the SIR.
Those whose names have been deleted from the draft electoral rolls “may submit their claims along with copy of their Aadhaar cards,” Bar and Bench quoted the court as saying.
“The orders are pretty clear, people must know that their names have been removed, and the ECI must specify the reasons," advocate Barun Kumar Sinha told PTI Videos in the Supreme Court premises.
Earlier on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced a 16-day Voter Adhikaar Yatra in Bihar from Sunday.
Rahul’s march, starting from Sasaram, around 178km south-west of Bihar capital Patna, will pass through Kutumba, Wazirgunj, Sheikhpura, Munger, Kastibagh, Katihar, Purnea, Supaaul, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Chhapra and Arrah before heading for the last leg in the state capital.
“From August 17 we are launching a direct battle against vote theft in Bihar with the Voter Adhikar Yatra. This will be the decisive battle to protect the principles of democracy, Constitution and one-person, one-vote. We will ensure a clean electoral roll for the entire country,” the Congress announced on the party’s X (formerly known as Twitter) handle on Thursday morning.