The law, as a whole, was enacted to prevent measures such as poll taxes and literacy tests, which obstructed equal access to the polls. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said the formula was “based on 40-year-old facts having no logical relationship to the present day” and therefore violates the sovereignty of the affected states under the U.S. Constitution. Congress is now under pressure to pass a new version of the law that reflects current conditions.

Read the full article from Reuters here.