Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: SC says SIR cannot be seen as mere administrative convenience

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: On Supreme Court upholding ECI's decision to undertake SIR of voter rolls that started in Bihar, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said, "What can I say? We had hopes with the Supreme Court. What were we concerned about? We were questioning 'exclusion, instead of inclusion' process. We did not challenge the rights of Election Commission. We will see the detailed judgment. There is nothing more to say."

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: The Supreme Court has agreed with Election Commission's for conducting the SIR. It said that rapid urbanisation, and migration are valid reasons for it.

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: While delivering the order, the Supreme Court said that the court is unable to conclude that impugned exercise is a process resorted to solely for administrative convenience, says SC on SIR.

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: Hearing the validity of EC conducting the SIR of electoral rolls, CJI Surya Kant said the challenge essentially arose from the decision of the Election Commission, in exercise of powers under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, directing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in all Assembly constituencies in the State of Bihar.

“It was decided to undertake the exercise because substantial changes in the electoral rolls had occurred on account of demographic variations, urbanisation and large-scale migration,” the CJI said.

“it can't be said ECI acted outside the statutory powers by exercising SIR. It can't be said ultra vires because the exercise is different from what is ordinary conducted.”

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: The bench, which was led by CJI Surya Kant, held that the SIR exercise cannot be struck down as ultra vires (illegal) just because it’s a process different from ordinary exercise of revision of voter rolls.

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: The Supreme Court has ruled that the Election Commission had the authority to conduct the SIR exercise and did not transgress any statutory or constitutional provision.

It said that the EC acted in the interest of free and fair elections as per the Article 324 of the Constitution.

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: Ahead of the Supreme Court's judgment on a batch of petitions challenging the legality of the SIR of the electoral rolls done by the Election Commission of India, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Executive Member Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali said that it is hopeful the justice will be done.

“As far as today's case regarding the SIR in the Supreme Court is concerned, we are very hopeful that justice will be done to the people whose names have not been included. Lakhs of people are waiting and looking toward this judgment with great hope. Every Indian citizen must be given the right to vote, and we are highly confident that their names will be included in the SIR,” he said.

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: Senior Advocates Rakesh Dwivedi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi logged in virtually

SG Tushar Mehta, Advocate Vrinda Grover in the front row

Supreme Court SIR Verdict LIVE: The bench has not yet assembled to hear the petitions against the Election Commission. The hearing is likely to begin soon

Supreme Court SIR in Bihar Verdict LIVE: The petitioners have alleged that the electoral rolls revision was an "NRC-like process" where the poll body was verifying citizenship. They have alleged that this power to verify citizenship vests in the Central government.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for ADR, had questioned the timeline for the completion of the exercise and the data of 65 lakh voters who were declared dead or migrated or registered in other constituencies.

Supreme Court SIR in Bihar Verdict LIVE: The Supreme Court verdict on Election Commission's powers in conducting SIR in Bihar will be heard at 10:30 am.

Supreme Court SIR in Bihar Verdict LIVE: During the hearing, the bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will have to determine if the Election Commission has powers to conduct the Special Intensive Revision.

Supreme Court SIR in Bihar Verdict LIVE: The last hearing on the pleas challenging the Election Commission's power to conduct SIR had happened in August and the court had commenced final arguments on August 12 last year. During the hearing, the court had observed that inclusion or exclusion of names in the electoral rolls falls within the constitutional remit of the Election Commission.

The poll authority had come out with the names of 65 lakh people who were removed from the draft electoral rolls published as part of the SIR exercise.

The EC had defended the SIR exercise, maintaining that Aadhaar and voter identity cards cannot be treated as conclusive proof of citizenship. Track LIVE updates with us.