New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on Monday, described the confusion surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in poll-bound Bihar as largely a ‘trust issue’, urging political parties to ‘activate’.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing pleas from Bihar’s political leaders seeking an extension of the September 1 deadline to file claims and objections to the draft electoral list published by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The Court took note of the ECI’s statement that claims and objections may still be submitted after the September 1 deadline and will be considered even after the roll is finalised, according to LiveLaw.

Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, representing the ECI, remarked that political parties are raising objections aimed at deleting voters from the draft list rather than filing claims for inclusion, calling this “very strange.”

Meanwhile, advocate Prashant Bhushan pointed out that the order concerning Aadhaar inclusion was dated 22 August. He contended that the poll body was not adhering to its own transparency manuals.

Justice Surya Kant emphasised that submission is the first step in the process.

Dwivedi argued that the pleas brought before the Court on Monday did not claim that any forms had been submitted or that voters had been included or deleted.

Justice Kant observed that such specific issues would be better addressed in the presence of political parties.

“This unfortunate trust deficit… we can ask the district legal services authority to provide volunteers to bridge the gap,” he was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.

In its order, the Supreme Court stated, “As regards extension of time, note says that filing of claims/objections or corrections is not barred after 1 Sept. It is stated that claims/objections/corrections can be submitted even after the deadline, i.e., after 1 September, and will be considered after the roll has been finalized. The process will continue until the last date of nominations and all inclusions/exclusions are integrated in the final roll. In light of this stand, let the claims/objections/corrections continue to be filed. Meanwhile, political parties/petitioners may submit their affidavits in response to the note.”

The Court further directed the Executive Chairman of the Bihar Legal Services Authority to instruct all district Legal Services Authorities, preferably by Tuesday noon, to notify para-legal volunteers, including their names and mobile numbers, who will assist voters and political parties in submitting claims, objections, or corrections online.