The Supreme Court (SC) of India on Wednesday upheld the authority of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The court said the poll body acted within its legal and constitutional mandate while conducting the exercise in Bihar.
As per a report by Hindustan Times, the verdict came while deciding a batch of petitions that had challenged the SIR process. The court made it clear that the Commission’s actions did not violate any statutory or constitutional provisions.
Court clarifies scope of citizenship scrutiny
The apex court also addressed concerns around the ECI’s role in verifying citizenship during the revision process. It upheld the Commission’s power to scrutinise citizenship as part of the exercise, but drew a clear distinction between electoral eligibility and citizenship status.
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As per the Hindustan Times report, it noted that exclusion from voter lists should not be treated as a determination of citizenship. The court said that any deletion on this ground will be subject to further adjudication. It further directed that individuals whose names are removed due to an inability to prove citizenship must be referred to a competent authority for proper adjudication.
SIR linked to free and fair elections
Highlighting the broader objective, the court observed that the SIR exercise has a direct connection with ensuring free and fair elections. It reaffirmed that the ECI is empowered under the constitutional framework and the Representation of the People Act to revise electoral rolls.
“SIR has a direct nexus with free and fair election, the court said, underlining the importance of maintaining accurate voter lists.
Process found fair and proportionate
The court also examined how the exercise was carried out and found the procedure to be justified. It said the revision was driven by a legitimate aim and included adequate safeguards.
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“Having regard to the nature of the problem sought to be addressed, the scale of the exercise undertaken and the procedural safeguards incorporated during its implementation, the measures adopted by the Commission cannot be said to be disproportionate to the objective sought to be achieved,” the Supreme Court said.
What is the SIR exercise?
The SIR is a large-scale revision drive initiated by the Election Commission in Bihar in June last year. The aim was to clean up electoral rolls by removing duplicate, bogus and ineligible entries, including names of deceased individuals and suspected illegal migrants.
The move drew criticism from Opposition parties, which alleged that the exercise could be politically motivated.
