The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in various states and Union Territories. The petitions argue that the voter list revision exceeds the Election Commission’s powers under the Constitution and related laws. The Court directed transparency measures for the ongoing SIR exercise in Tamil Nadu to ensure fairness.
The petitions raised concerns about the requirement for voters missing from 2002 or 2003 rolls to prove ancestral linkage. Initially, the Election Commission specified 11 documents for identity verification, later adding Aadhaar as an additional document. Most petitions were filed last year after the SIR began in Bihar and expanded to states like West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, the Court issued directions to prevent voter hardship in West Bengal during the SIR process. Similar directions were given for Tamil Nadu, including publishing names with logical discrepancies for verification within 10 days. The Court emphasized strict adherence to these directions in all ongoing SIR processes, ensuring transparency and fairness.
