Congress senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram on Monday said he hoped the Supreme Court would intervene amid the ongoing political and legal dispute over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the right to vote, and play its role in protecting the Constitution and democracy.
Chidambaram said the role of the Supreme Court was important amid the continuing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. He expressed hope that the apex court would intervene in the matter to protect the Constitution and the democratic system.
In his statement, Chidambaram also referred to recent remarks by sitting Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and former Supreme Court judge Justice Rohinton F. Nariman.
Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram shared his response on the social media platform X on Monday. He urged people to read the recent remarks made by Justice Rohinton Nariman in Rajkot and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan in Hyderabad.
Chidambaram also referred to his article, “Millions of Citizen Non-voters,” published on March 22, 2026. In the article, he had raised concerns over the revision of electoral rolls and the possibility of eligible citizens being excluded from voting rights.
Chidambaram said that under the prevailing circumstances, he expected the Supreme Court to play its role in protecting the Constitution and democracy. In his post, he also commented on his political opponents and advised them to remain silent on the issue.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive review process for electoral rolls. It involves examining names listed on electoral rolls and details related to voters’ eligibility.
The process has led to differences among political parties. Opposition parties have expressed apprehension that a large number of eligible citizens could be excluded from electoral rolls during the review. At the same time, the need to make electoral rolls more accurate and updated has also been emphasised.
The Supreme Court’s scheduled hearings in matters related to the dispute have also assumed importance. Chidambaram’s remarks came at a time when the apex court is scheduled to hear petitions related to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s functioning and the Election Commission.
At an event on October 4, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan commented on issues related to the right to vote and citizenship. He said that if a process results in a large number of citizens being deprived of their right to vote and effectively excludes them from exercising that right, serious questions could arise over the constitutional validity of such a process.
He described such a situation as arbitrary and said that questions involving constitutional rights could not be justified by diverting attention towards other issues. According to him, the right to vote is among the fundamental elements of a democratic system.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Rohinton F. Nariman also expressed concern over electoral rolls and the right to vote during an event in Rajkot on October 4.
Referring to the alleged deletion of a large number of names from West Bengal’s electoral rolls, he said that the right to vote is at the centre of democracy. He also questioned the institutional independence of the Election Commission and the process of appointing election commissioners.
