• Source:JND
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The Supreme Court on Thursday passed an interim order to ensure free legal aid to 3.77 lakh people who have been excluded from the final voter's list during the special intensive revision (SIR) in Bihar and want to appeal against their name being deleted.

The interim order was passed by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi.While hearing the petition, the court observed that the time to file appeals is running short and hence a communication was appropriate to be sent regarding free legal aid to assist the excluded persons.

According to a report by Live Law, the court observed, "Since time to file appeals is running short, we deem it appropriate as an interim measure to request the Executive Chairman, Bihar SLA, to send communication, preferably today itself to all secretaries of DLSAs to provide services of paralegal volunteers, free legal aid counsels to assist excluded persons to file statutory appeals."

"Secretaries to immediately re-notify mobile numbers and full description of paralegal volunteers in each village, who in turn will contact the Booth Level Officers. They will collect information with respect to persons who have been excluded from the final list. Para Legal Volunteers would reach out to persons, informing them of their right to appeal. They will offer services to draft appeals and provide free legal aid counsel," the court said.

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The petitioners in the case have argued that the SIR enabled arbitrary deletions from the electoral rolls without adequate safeguards. The flaw risked disenfranchisement of several citizens.

The petitioners also argued that this will undermine the principle of free and fair elections. During the earlier hearing, the apex court had sought the details of all 3.7 lakh disenfranchised people.

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The court had also observed that it was not clear whether the 21 lakh newly added names, after 65 lakh deletion, were of those removed from the rolls earlier on were new enrollment.

The Election Commission (EC) has, however, defended the exercise, emphasising its legal power to conduct such an exercise so that only eligible voters participate in the election process.