New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday said that it would cancel the entire Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls if any illegality is found in the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) methodology. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said that it was presuming that, being a constitutional authority, the EC had followed the law and mandatory laws while conducting the SIR.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the final arguments regarding the validity of the SIR exercise in Bihar for October 7. Previously, the Election Commission told the apex court that any direction to conduct SIR at regular intervals throughout would “encroach” upon the poll panel’s exclusive jurisdiction.
It said through its July 5, 2025, letter addressed to all chief electoral officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories, except Bihar, the commission has directed the initiation of immediate pre-revision activities for SIR of electoral rolls with reference to January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date. Any direction to conduct a ‘SIR’ at regular intervals throughout the country would encroach upon the exclusive jurisdiction of the ECI, it said.
The affidavit was filed on a plea by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who has sought a direction to the EC to conduct SIR of electoral rolls at regular intervals throughout India, particularly before elections, to ensure that only Indian citizens decide the polity and policy of the country. The top court ordered that Aadhaar be treated as the 12th valid document for inclusion in Bihar’s electoral rolls during the ongoing SIR exercise amid complaints of EC officials refusing to accept it despite earlier instructions.
Read Also : Waqf Bill : Supreme Court Refuses To Put Blanket Suspension On Waqf Act
