Former Bihar Legislator Mujahid Alam Flags Voter Disenfranchisement Risk in ECI’s Roll Update Moves Apex Court
(Judicial Quest News Network)
New Delhi, July 7, 2025 — Former Bihar legislator Mujahid Alam has filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India, challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the state’s upcoming 18th Assembly Elections, scheduled for later this year.
“It is relevant to point out that out of the total number of voters i.e. 2,73,000 in the Kochadhaman Assembly Constituency; 60% of male voters are out-migrants, having relocated to other States for gainful employment. It is highly improbable/unrealistic to expect such out-migrants to return to the State to submit the enumeration form. These out-migrants face a threat of automatic deletion of their names on non-submission of enumeration forms within the stipulated thirty days.”
In his plea, Alam contends that the ECI’s directive violates Articles 14, 21, 325, and 326 of the Indian Constitution, arguing that the revision process threatens to disenfranchise a significant portion of Bihar’s electorate, particularly Muslims, Dalits, and migrant communities.
“The ongoing SIR process is not only rushed and poorly timed, but failed to consider that much of the Kochadhaman Assembly Constituency in the State of Bihar, suffers from monsoon, and flash floods during the months of July to October every year, making the process of submission of enumeration forms and subsequent dealing of claims/objections highly impossible. This action severely impinges on the ‘Right to Vote’ enshrined under Article 326 of the Constitution.”
Key Concerns Raised in the Petitio Disenfranchisement of Migrant Voters: Alam, who previously represented the Kochadhaman Assembly Constituency, emphasized that 60% of male voters in his constituency are out-migrants working in other states.
“As per the recent statistics³, while the Election Commission has distributed enumeration forms to around 94% of the potential voters, it has managed to collect only 14% of them in the first 10 days of the SIR process. Furthermore, there is monumental gap in the number of forms that have been uploaded, with around 24 lakhs of 1.12 being uploaded.”
He argued that it is unrealistic to expect them to return within the short window provided to submit enumeration forms.
Monsoon Challenges: The petition highlights that the revision timeline coincides with the monsoon season, which often brings flooding and logistical hurdles in Bihar, making it difficult for residents to submit necessary documents. Exclusion of Common ID Documents: Alam criticized the ECI’s list of acceptable documents, noting that widely held IDs such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and MNREGA job cards have been excluded, placing an undue burden on economically weaker sections. Data Discrepancies: The petition points to a “monumental gap” between the number of enumeration forms distributed, collected, and uploaded.
While 94% of forms were distributed, only 14% were collected in the first 10 days, raising doubts about the feasibility of completing the process within the stipulated 30-day period.
Legal Proceedings and Broader Context The petition, filed through Advocate-on-Record Ujjwal Singh, was mentioned urgently before the Supreme Court and has been listed for hearing on July 10. Alam is currently not affiliated with any political party, though he was formerly associated with the Janata Dal (United).
His plea joins a growing list of challenges to the ECI’s June 24 directive. Other petitioners include: RJD MP Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Activist Yogendra Yadav, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)3
These petitions collectively argue that the SIR process is arbitrary, exclusionary, and risks undermining the fundamental right to vote, especially for marginalized communities.
