Paromita Das
New Delhi, 14th July: When a democracy begins to slip on the simple promise of a fair vote, every citizen has reason to pause. This week, the Supreme Court’s sharp observations on the Bihar electoral rolls revision have forced the nation to confront an uncomfortable question: are we making it harder for the people to vote, not easier?
A Reminder from the Bench
In what can only be called a timely intervention, the Supreme Court did not stop the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) underway in Bihar — but it did hold up a mirror to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The judges asked a simple, piercing question: How can millions furnish documents that are either excluded or hard to access?
For a country where paperwork is a privilege and not a given, the Court’s phrase — “document starvation” — cuts deep. Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards — these are not luxuries. They are the daily reality for India’s poorest, the working class, and those who live far from urban record-keeping.
Democracy Cannot Be a Maze
The essence of the Supreme Court’s message is simple: you cannot protect democracy by locking people out of it. Electoral rolls do need to be cleaned up. Nobody argues with removing duplicates or ineligible entries. But when reforms ignore the reality of the voter on the ground, they risk becoming weapons of exclusion.
It is troubling, to say the least, that Aadhaar — now linked to voter rolls by law — was left out of the accepted proofs in this revision. Voter ID cards, the backbone of Indian elections, and ration cards, a lifeline for the poor, were similarly brushed aside in official notifications. If the goal was to streamline, this decision has instead sown confusion.
Lost in the Fine Print
The Election Commission’s stance that its list of documents is “not exhaustive” sounds reassuring — until you read the fine print. The Supreme Court rightly asked: where is this flexibility on paper? Bihar, with its vast rural pockets and large, diverse population, cannot afford mixed signals.
The timing only adds to the stakes. With elections approaching, millions in Bihar face the possibility of being turned away for not having a “valid” piece of paper — even if they have voted before.
Clean Rolls, But Not at This Cost
India’s electoral machinery has long inspired pride around the world. The inked finger is more than a photo-op; it is a quiet assurance that every vote counts. But that faith is fragile. Once shaken, it takes decades to restore.
The push for transparent and accurate rolls must not slip into the dangerous territory of voter suppression by omission. When voters need a lawyer’s help just to stay on a list they never asked to be removed from, something has gone very wrong.
Of course, electoral fraud is real and must be tackled. But reform must serve people — not the other way round.
A Path Forward
The Supreme Court’s remarks offer a clear path to redemption. The ECI can fix this, and quickly. Include Aadhaar, voter ID, ration cards — or explain precisely why not. Publish an updated, accessible list. Communicate it widely in every panchayat and ward. Build trust instead of confusion.
The Court has respected the Commission’s constitutional powers — but it has also reminded all of us that when fundamental rights are threatened by opaque rules, the judiciary cannot stay silent.
Trust is the True Poll Booth
Bihar’s revision drive can still succeed — but only if it remembers what it’s really about. The ultimate legitimacy of any government flows not from paperwork but from the people’s unwavering belief that their vote matters and their identity is respected.
Democracy is not a line item on a form. It lives in every household that stands in a queue on election day — with an old ration card, a laminated voter ID, or an Aadhaar tucked safely in a plastic pouch.
The Supreme Court has done its part. The question is whether the ECI will do its duty — before the ballot box turns into a barricade.
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