BJP, Congress spar following Supreme Court order on Bihar’s voter list revision

BJP says Congress lacks faith in constitutional institutions; Congress says court asking Election Commission to consider voter cards, Aadhaar, ration cards as key documents would save large numbers of voters from being disenfranchised

A war of words ensued between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on Friday (July 11, 2025) following the Supreme Court’s order on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls, with the ruling party claiming that the top court’s decision to allow the exercise to continue was a setback to the Opposition parties.

Hitting back, the Congress claimed that the Supreme Court order on pleas makes it clear that “no stay was asked for by any of the petitioners” and asserted that the top court asking the Election Commission to consider voter cards, Aadhaar and ration cards as key documents for inclusion in the electoral rolls would save a vast majority of voters from being disenfranchised.

Editorial | ​Widen the net: On Supreme Court and Bihar’s revision of electoral rolls

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, in a statement to the media, demanded that Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav publicly apologise to the people of the country and Bihar.

“The Supreme Court’s observation on the SIR is a strong response to Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi regarding transparency in the voting process. Tejashwi Yadav must clarify whether he will accept the Supreme Court’s verdict or not. Rahul Gandhi must explain why he staged a protest a day before the Supreme Court hearing? This clearly shows that these leaders have no faith in the Supreme Court,” he said.

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“Both should reflect on their actions. Parties and leaders who do not respect the Constitution and constitutional institutions will continue to face public backlash. By its observation, the Supreme Court has made it clear that conducting the entire SIR process falls within the constitutional jurisdiction of the Election Commission,” said Mr. Bhatia.

Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, “Following the Honourable Supreme Court’s order that has just come out officially, the Election Commission now has to include the EPIC, Aadhar cards, and ration cards in the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. This will save a vast majority of voters from being disenfranchised.”

“Moreover the EC’s spin on the no stay being given has been clearly exposed. Page 7 of the order makes it clear that no stay was asked for by any of the petitioners yesterday. Such deliberately misleading headline management does not befit a Constitutional authority,” Mr. Ramesh added.

In his post, the Congress leader also shared screenshots of the court order, which read, “Since these cases will come up before the appropriate court prior to August 1, 2025 which is the scheduled date for notification of draft electoral rolls there is no occasion presently to pass any order on the ad interim stay applications, and the petitioners in any case do not press for a stay at this stage”.