Publish names of 65 lakh Bihar voters removed from list, give reasons: SC tells EC

News Network

August 14, 2025

New Delhi, Aug 14: The Supreme Court today directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to publish the names of 65 lakh people removed from Bihar’s voter list, along with the reasons for their deletion, on official websites. The court said the list must be widely publicised so that every voter can check it easily.

The order came during the hearing of petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.

“We want transparency”

Justice Surya Kant noted that the ECI admitted 22 lakh of the removed names belonged to deceased persons. “If 22 lakh people have died, why is it not disclosed at the booth level? We do not want citizens’ rights to depend on political parties,” he remarked.

The court said the full list of removed voters — those who were on the 2025 roll but not on the draft list — must:

• Be posted on district-level ECI websites with reasons for deletion.

• Be publicised in vernacular newspapers with maximum reach, on Doordarshan, and other TV channels.

• Be displayed on the notice boards of all panchayat bhawans, block offices, and panchayat offices.

• Be shared on district election officers’ social media handles if available.

Public access online and offline

The court emphasised that the list must also be searchable by EPIC number so voters can verify their status online. Aggrieved voters may file claims with a copy of their Aadhaar cards to restore their names.

Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked how many names were missing from the draft list after the revision. Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the poll body, said: “65 lakhs are not there, 22 lakhs are dead.” He added that anyone wrongly marked as deceased can approach officials to get their name restored.

“We are asking for more transparency… people must be able to check their names independently,” Justice Bagchi said. Justice Kant added, “Anita Devi should know that if she goes to this website, she can find out how to get her name back.”

The case will be heard next on August 22.

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Roadblock to Relief: Speaker Khader’s Push to Expand Key NH-66 Stretch from Nanthoor to Talapady

News Network

November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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