New Delhi: A pivotal legal action has emerged that could influence the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has submitted a petition to the Supreme Court, contesting the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to implement a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar.

The petition claims that the ECI's actions are arbitrary and may disenfranchise a significant number of voters.

ADR, which operates as a non-partisan electoral oversight body, is urging the Supreme Court to step in, asserting that such a major revision so close to the elections threatens the democratic process's integrity.

The organization is requesting the court to suspend the current revision process until a comprehensive and fair verification system is established. This controversy originated from the ECI's directive issued on June 24, which announced the SIR initiative in Bihar.

This revision involves verifying existing voter information and processing new registrations, occurring just months ahead of the state's elections. This timing has raised alarms among various political factions, particularly those in opposition.

Shortly after the ECI's announcement on June 24, opposition parties, including Lalu Yadav’s RJD, Congress, AIMIM, CPI, and CPM, expressed their disapproval, criticizing the commission for allegedly acting under the influence of the ruling BJP.

Earlier this week, leaders from nearly a dozen political parties within the INDIA bloc met with ECI officials, including the Chief Election Commissioner, to voice their concerns regarding the SIR. However, the commission has defended its decision through press statements.

The commission stated that the SIR is being conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the RP Act 1950 and the instructions issued in June 2024 and 2025. They assured that all concerns raised by political party representatives were thoroughly addressed during the meeting.

Additionally, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, during a press conference this week, did not dismiss the possibility of seeking judicial intervention against the ECI's directive.

With ADR's petition now filed, it appears that the situation surrounding this issue is poised to escalate in the coming days.