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Supreme Court to ECI: Decide on Voter Roll Extension by Dec 31

The Supreme Court has given the Election Commission a deadline to decide on requests for more time to revise voter lists. Lawyers argued that the process in Kerala has led to a huge number of names being wrongly deleted. They also questioned why Uttar Pradesh needs such an urgent update years before its next election. The court, however, did not agree to hear a separate worry about how volunteers handling the data might risk people's privacy.

Key Points: Supreme Court Directs ECI on Voter Roll Revision Petitions

  • Supreme Court directs ECI to decide on extension pleas for voter roll revision by December 31
  • Kapil Sibal alleges 25 lakh voter deletions in Kerala's revision process
  • Petitioners question urgency of the exercise in UP with elections in 2027
  • Court refuses separate plea on data security concerns with volunteer involvement
2 min read

SC asks ECI to decide on SIR extension pleas by Dec 31

SC asks Election Commission to decide on pleas for more time in Kerala and UP's voter roll revision by Dec 31, amid allegations of mass deletions.

"Twenty-five lakh names have been deleted. The husband's name is not there, but the wife's name is. When the authorities realise this, they delete the wife as well. - Kapil Sibal"

New Delhi, Dec 18

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed petitioners requesting more time for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh to submit their representations to the Election Commission of India (ECI), which will decide on the requests by December 31.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued the direction while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the ongoing SIR exercise in various states and seeking additional time for completion of the enumeration process.

The CJI Surya Kant-led Bench directed the ECI to decide on the representations by December 31 and report back to the apex court.

During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, alleged large-scale deletion of voters' names during the SIR exercise in Kerala.

"Twenty-five lakh names have been deleted. The husband's name is not there, but the wife's name is. When the authorities realise this, they delete the wife as well," Sibal submitted, adding that December 18 was the last date of the enumeration phase in the state.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra questioned the urgency of conducting the intensive revision exercise in Uttar Pradesh when Assembly elections are scheduled only in 2027.

"Let the ECI respond within three weeks," the bench said, adding that senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the poll body, would commence submissions on behalf of the ECI on January 6, 2026.

The Supreme Court refused to hear a separate plea that raised concerns about confidential data being shared with volunteers in the enumeration phase.

Raising concerns over data security, the petition argued that the involvement of volunteers in the process had led to citizens' personal data being shared with private individuals.

Bihar was the first state to undergo the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), beginning on June 24, 2025. Twelve other states and Union Territories, including Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry, are currently undergoing the same stringent process.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While updating electoral rolls is necessary, the process must be transparent and secure. The concern about volunteers handling confidential data is valid. We've seen data breaches before. The ECI must ensure robust protocols are in place to protect citizens' personal information. 🛡️
A
Arjun K
Good move by SC. The question about UP's urgency is spot on. Elections are in 2027, why such a rushed revision now? It creates unnecessary panic and confusion. Let the process be smooth and give people adequate time. Jai Hind!
P
Priya S
As someone from Tamil Nadu, I hope the SIR in our state is conducted fairly. We must have clean voter lists, but not at the cost of genuine voters losing their right. The Dec 31 deadline from SC puts the right pressure on ECI to act.
M
Michael C
Respectfully, I think the Supreme Court could have been more assertive here. Simply asking ECI to "decide" by Dec 31 isn't enough when there are allegations of mass deletions. They should have ordered an independent audit of the Kerala rolls to ensure justice.
K
Kavya N
Everyone should check their name on the electoral roll online! Don't wait for the last minute. This news is a reminder. A clean voter list is good for democracy, but the process has to be error-free. 🤞

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