The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the Election Commission of India to continue with its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar calling it a “constitutional mandate”.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, however, questioned the timing of the exercise besides offering its prima facie view that Aadhaar card, voter ID card and ration cards could be considered during the SIR in Bihar. “We are of the prima facie view that Aadhaar cards, Voted ID cards and the Ration cards be allowed in the special intensive revision of electoral rolls,” it said.

“We cannot stop a constitutional body from doing what it is supposed to do. Simultaneously, we will not let them do what they are not supposed to do,” the bench said. Noting that none of the petitioners, including leaders of 10 opposition parties, prayed for an interim stay of the poll panel’s exercise, the bench sought response on the batch of petitions and posted the hearing on July 28. The ECI, the bench said, should file a counter affidavit to the petitions by July 21 and rejoinders should be filed by July 28.