The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to pronounce its judgment on Wednesday on petitions challenging the validity of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India.
In a matter concerning the electoral framework of India, a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant will determine the extent of the Election Commission of India’s authority under the Constitution and electoral laws to undertake a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The Court is also expected to clarify the constitutional limits of the Commission’s powers during the process.
The petitions challenge the legality of the SIR process, under which the Election Commission conducts detailed verification of electoral rolls to remove names of fake, deceased, shifted, or duplicate voters and include eligible citizens. Petitioners have contended that, in its present form, the process may affect voting rights and increase the risk of deletion of names of valid voters. The Election Commission has submitted that periodic verification of electoral rolls is necessary to ensure free and fair elections.
The Supreme Court is examining the matter primarily in the context of Article 326 of the Constitution of India, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and related rules. The Court will determine whether these provisions empower the Election Commission to implement the SIR process within its present framework.
During earlier proceedings, the Court clarified that it would decide only the validity of the process and declined to stay the ongoing SIR exercise. After reserving judgment in January upon conclusion of hearings, the Court permitted the Election Commission to continue the process while observing that judicial review of the Commission’s constitutional powers was necessary.
The SIR process has been completed in several states, including Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and West Bengal, while it remains underway in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Most petitions in the matter were filed in June 2025 following the Election Commission’s decision to initiate the SIR process in Bihar. Petitioners include election reform organisations, opposition leaders, and several Members of Parliament, who have submitted that large-scale revision without ensuring transparency and accountability in voter verification may affect democratic rights.
