{"id":105473,"date":"2026-05-28T10:47:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T05:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=105473"},"modified":"2026-05-28T11:18:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T05:48:01","slug":"sc-upholds-special-intensive-revision-sir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/sc-upholds-special-intensive-revision-sir\/","title":{"rendered":"SC Upholds Special Intensive Revision (SIR)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Election Commission\u2019s (EC) <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/special-intensive-revision-of-electoral-rolls\/\" target=\"_blank\">Special Intensive Revision (SIR)<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of electoral rolls in Bihar, while permitting similar exercises in other States and Union Territories.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The judgment assumes significance as the second phase of the SIR has begun across 12 States\/UTs, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam, ahead of forthcoming elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ruling addresses the scope of the EC\u2019s powers under <\/span><b>Article 324<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, electoral integrity, and the sensitive overlap between voter eligibility and citizenship determination.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Supreme Court\u2019s Key Observations<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>EC\u2019s power under Article 324:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bench held that the SIR neither replaces the provisions of the Representation of the People Act (<\/span><b>RPA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), <\/span><b>1950<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, nor the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, it operationalises the constitutional mandate under Article 324 \u2013 Superintendence, direction and control of elections vested in the EC.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court described Article 324 as a \u201c<\/span><b>continuous<\/b> <b>wellspring of power<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, enabling the EC to safeguard the sanctity of the democratic process at every stage of election management.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Justification for the SIR:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court accepted the EC\u2019s rationale for undertaking an intensive revision after more than two decades.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cited rapid urbanisation, large-scale migration, non-reporting of deaths, duplicate voter entries, and frequent additions and deletions in electoral rolls.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Bench observed that electoral rolls are not static documents and <\/span><b>must evolve <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with demographic and residential changes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Electoral Roll Revision in Bihar<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Scale of deletions:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final Bihar electoral roll published on September 30 last year contained 7.42 crore electors, compared to 7.89 crore voters when the SIR was notified in June 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court directed that persons whose names were deleted due to absence, duplication, death, shifting, or suspected citizenship issues <\/span><b>may challenge<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the EC\u2019s decision before competent courts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Citizenship adjudication:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A major feature of the ruling is the direction regarding individuals excluded on citizenship grounds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court ordered the EC to refer such cases to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955 for adjudication before the next parliamentary, Assembly, or local body elections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This effectively brings the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and mechanisms such as <\/span><b>Foreigners\u2019 Tribunals <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">into the process.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Core Constitutional Contradiction<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Electoral eligibility vs citizenship determination:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court simultaneously made <\/span><b>two observations:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deletion from the voter list does not amount to a declaration that a person is not an Indian citizen.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Excluded individuals would nevertheless face adjudication regarding citizenship status.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates a constitutional and administrative contradiction. While the EC\u2019s scrutiny is termed \u201cprima facie and contextual,\u201d the consequences extend beyond mere electoral exclusion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Burden of proof concerns:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critics argue that the ruling indirectly shifts the burden of proving citizenship onto deleted individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is especially significant because access to documentary proof remains uneven among vulnerable populations, migrants, and economically weaker sections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Court\u2019s Position on Citizenship Presumption<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Petitioners relied on the SC\u2019s earlier judgment [<\/span><b>Lal Babu <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hussein case (1995)], which recognised that inclusion in electoral rolls carries a presumption of citizenship.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the present Bench clarified that the presumption is <\/span><b>only evidentiary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and rebuttable, and the inclusion in voter lists is not a permanent immunity against future scrutiny.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, prior enrolment does not create a conclusive legal guarantee of citizenship status.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Safeguards Introduced by the Court<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Procedural fairness:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court acknowledged that the original SIR process raised concerns regarding documentation requirements, transparency deficits, risk of arbitrary exclusion, and limited accessibility for vulnerable groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it held that subsequent judicial interventions introduced adequate safeguards, thereby making the process <\/span><b>constitutionally compliant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Transparency measures:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Court specifically highlighted publication of the complete list of nearly 65 lakh excluded electors, disclosure of reasons for exclusion, and opportunity for hearing and challenge.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These measures, according to the Bench, transformed the process into a \u201c<\/span><b>verifiable and contestable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d exercise consistent with procedural fairness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Constitutional and Democratic Implications<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Supporters:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They view the judgment as <\/span><b>reinforcing electoral purity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, accuracy of voter rolls, and prevention of duplication and fraudulent entries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The ruling expands the functional scope of Article 324 and strengthens the EC\u2019s supervisory authority.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Critics:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They fear the judgment may <\/span><b>increase disenfranchisement risks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, blur the line between electoral administration and citizenship determination, and burden marginalised populations with documentary verification.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The decision may also revive debates similar to those surrounding the National Register of Citizens (<\/span><b>NRC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SC\u2019s ruling validates the EC\u2019s authority to undertake intensive electoral roll revisions as part of its constitutional responsibility under Article 324.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The long-term impact of the ruling will depend on how transparently and fairly the SIR process is implemented across States before upcoming elections.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pressreader.com\/india\/the-hindu-mumbai-9wwd\/20260528\/281835765360565\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>TH<\/b><\/a><b> |\u00a0<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-law\/sir-ruling-supreme-court-election-commission-report-deleted-names-citizenship-10711472\/lite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>IE<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Election Commission\u2019s (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":105487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[7789],"class_list":{"0":"post-105473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-special-intensive-revision-sir","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105473"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105490,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105473\/revisions\/105490"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}