Bihar SIR: What the Supreme Court’s intervention has achieved and what lies ahead

The Election Commission of India has announced the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 States, including poll-bound Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala. The first phase of the SIR in Bihar has already been subjected to intense legal scrutiny in the Supreme Court, with the poll body defending the exercise even as petitioners alleged mass disenfranchisement and raised concerns over transparency. What has the Supreme Court’s intervention in the Bihar SIR achieved so far? With polling already underway in the State, is the challenge to its constitutional validity now a fait accompli? And what can be expected from the petitions filed by Opposition parties, including the DMK, CPI(M), and the Congress, challenging the exercise in other States? Guest: Prashant Bhushan, advocate practising before the Supreme Court. Host: Aaratrika Bhaumik Recorded by Aniket Singh Chauhan and Lipi Vats Edited and produced by Jude Francis Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices