Patna: RJD MP Manoj Jha on Wednesday expressed his disappointment over the Supreme Court`s verdict to uphold the constitutional validity of special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India (ECI) before the 2025 Bihar assembly election. Jha was one of the petitioners along with other prominent opposition leaders, and civil rights groups like Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Talking to reporters, Jha said, “What can I say? We had hopes from the Supreme Court. What were we concerned about? We were questioning the ‘exclusion, instead of inclusion’ process. We did not challenge the rights of the Election Commission. We will see the detailed judgment.”On the other hand, JD (U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said, “I welcome the Supreme Court`s verdict … Given the deliberate attempts made by the opposition to sow seeds of doubt in the minds of the public, it is evident that they sought to undermine the very institutions of our democracy.”
“Today, the Supreme Court has delivered a verdict. It has demonstrated just how deeply rooted and robust the foundations of Indian democracy and our Constitution truly are. The Court has affirmed that the SIR process was entirely correct… The opposition was left with absolutely no substantive issue to raise regarding the SIR,” he contended.
“While they were attempting to create confusion regarding all these matters, today’s verdict from the Supreme Court serves as a definitive full stop, putting an end to all such controversies,” he added, Commenting on the Supreme Court’s verdict, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi stated that the apex court’s decision had clarified that the Election Commission’s procedures fell entirely within the constitutional framework and were aligned with the spirit of ensuring free and fair elections. “This verdict serves as a clear message to those who have consistently questioned the electoral process and constitutional institutions for the sake of political interests,” he added.