The Supreme Court on Thursday (August 14, 2025) ordered the Election Commission of India to publish the list of approximately 65 lakh names excluded from the draft roll that was published on August 1, 2025, after a Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar.

In the interim order, the two-judge Bench comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Surya Kant, ordered the poll body to publish a searchable list of the excluded names, booth-wise, along with the reasons for non-inclusion, in the district electoral officers’ websites by 5 p.m. on August 19, 2025.

Bihar SIR row hearing HIGHLIGHTS – August 14, 2025

Physical lists with reasons shall also be displayed on the notice boards of booth-level officers and block development/panchayat offices for manual access. The Bihar Chief Electoral Officer shall get soft copies of the list with reasons to be displayed on his website, and wide publicity for the same shall be given through regional and English newspapers, radio, TV and authorised social media platforms of Election Commission of India.

Aadhaar as proof of identity and residence

The public notice about the display will specifically mention that objections can be raised by aggrieved persons along with their Aadhaar copy, which shall be considered as a proof of identity and residence.

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The interim order directed the Election Commission to compile proof of compliance from BLOs/District Electoral Officers and place on record a collated status report on August 22 for further consideration by the Bench.

The list and reasons should also be made searchable by typing in the EPIC number of the voter concerned, the interim order stated.

The Bench posted the case for next hearing on August 22 at 2 p.m.