SC to deliver verdict today on pleas challenging SIR of electoral rolls
New Delhi, May 27
The Supreme Court is set to deliver a crucial verdict on Wednesday on a series of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's move to carry out a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Wednesday after reserving judgment in the matter earlier this year, following extensive hearings.
The petitions challenge the legality of the SIR exercise undertaken by the poll body, contending that the revision process exceeds the powers conferred upon the ECI under Article 326 of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the rules framed thereunder.
The controversy primarily centres around the ECI's requirement that voters whose names were absent from the 2002 electoral rolls - or the 2003 rolls in certain states - must establish ancestral linkage to a person whose name appeared in those electoral rolls.
The petitioner's side had argued before the apex court that the condition could potentially disenfranchise genuine voters, particularly marginalised and migrant populations who may not possess documentary proof tracing their ancestry to earlier electoral records.
Over the course of the proceedings, the Supreme Court issued interim directions designed to promote transparency and mitigate hardship among voters impacted by the SIR exercise across various states and union territories (UTs).
The poll body had initially identified 11 documents for verification purposes. However, the apex court later directed the inclusion of Aadhaar as an additional document for the SIR process.
Most of the petitions were filed in June last year after the ECI decided to conduct an SIR in Bihar.
The exercise was subsequently extended to multiple states and UTs, including West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The poll body defended the exercise before the apex court, contending that the revision was aimed at ensuring the purity of electoral rolls and preventing duplication or inclusion of ineligible voters. After hearing the parties at length, the CJI Surya Kant-led Bench reserved its verdict on January 29.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Look, I understand the need for clean electoral rolls - no one wants fake voters. But this SIR process seems overly burdensome. The ECI should have thought about how this would affect migrant workers from Bihar, UP and Bengal who've been living in other states for years. Aadhaar was a good addition by the SC though, at least that's something people have handy. Let's wait for the verdict.
As an NRI who still keeps a voter ID in India, this is concerning. The 2002-2003 linkage requirement could disenfranchise millions. I've seen how even simple name mismatches cause problems in India's electoral system. Adding more hurdles without proper outreach will only reduce voter participation. The SC needs to strike a balance between roll purity and accessibility.
Finally! Been waiting for this verdict since January. The ECI's defense about 'purity of rolls' sounds good on paper, but in practice, this SIR has caused so much confusion. My cousin in Patna had to run around for weeks just to submit documents because his name was missing from some old list. Why can't they just use Aadhaar and voter ID verification? Why go back 20 years? 🤷♂️
Interesting how this seems to target states like West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu right before elections. The timing feels politically motivated, if I'm being honest. The ECI should be above suspicion, but requiring ancestral proof from 2002 rolls is an unusual standard. Let's see what the SC decides - hopefully the verdict emphasizes voter rights over bureaucratic convenience.
S We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.