Overview

• The Supreme Court said the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision in Bihar was justified, noting voter rolls had once exceeded the adult population by up to 107%, and the final list now stands at 7.42 crore.
• The bench directed Bihar legal services authorities to deploy paralegal volunteers and free counsel to help excluded persons file statutory appeals, with the case listed again for October 16.
• ECI counsel refuted claims of mass wrongful deletions, telling the court that some affidavits were inaccurate and that certain individuals were never on draft rolls because enumeration forms were not submitted.
• In West Bengal, a central ECI team reviewed readiness, indicated a likely start in late October or early November, warned of disciplinary action for lapses, and assured protection for electoral officers and BLOs.
• Political stakes intensified in Bengal as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged threats to state officials and an NRC-like push, while BJP leaders predicted deletion of up to 1–1.2 crore ‘illegal’ voters and the party mapped a focus on about 160 Assembly seats.