Supreme Court's Role in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Questioned

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a large-scale revision of voter rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI). It's important because it directly impacts the accuracy and inclusivity of electoral rolls, a crucial aspect of free and fair elections, a key area in UPSC Prelims under Polity & Governance.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) derives its authority from Article 324 of the Constitution, which grants it the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections. This broad mandate allows the ECI to conduct activities like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to ensure accurate voter rolls.

The Supreme Court's role is being questioned because it is perceived to be prioritizing administrative efficiency over constitutional adjudication. Critics argue that the Court has not adequately addressed the core constitutional challenges to the SIR's legality, particularly regarding potential impacts on fundamental rights.

The SIR can disproportionately affect vulnerable populations due to stringent documentation requirements and the potential for misuse of Form 7 for voter roll objections. This can lead to arbitrary voter deletions and disenfranchisement, especially for those lacking adequate documentation.

The SIR process, involving large-scale revisions of voter rolls, can potentially turn into a citizenship-determining exercise if documentation requirements are excessively emphasized. This is because individuals may be required to prove their citizenship to remain on the voter rolls, blurring the distinction between being a citizen and being eligible to vote.

Arguments for the Court's approach emphasize the need for efficient electoral roll management. Arguments against highlight the potential for overlooking constitutional concerns and impacting fundamental rights, particularly the right to vote for vulnerable populations.

Reforms should focus on simplifying documentation requirements, providing assistance to vulnerable populations during the SIR process, and ensuring robust oversight to prevent arbitrary voter deletions. Clear guidelines are needed to prevent the misuse of Form 7.

The SIR has been in the news due to the Supreme Court's involvement in hearing challenges to its legality and the concerns raised about its potential impact on voter rolls and fundamental rights. Mamata Banerjee's appearance before the Supreme Court also brought attention to the issue.

In February 2026, Mamata Banerjee appeared before the Supreme Court in hearings about the SIR. On February 9, the Court passed directions ostensibly seeking to mitigate some hardships related to the SIR process.

Form 7 is used to raise objections against the inclusion of names in the voter roll. Misuse of Form 7 can lead to wrongful deletion of eligible voters, particularly affecting vulnerable populations who may not be aware of the objection or have the resources to contest it.