Election Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers in all states to prepare for a nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, mirroring the process underway in Bihar with a qualifying date set as January 1, 2026. Opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress, and the Left have criticised the directive, questioning its timing and lack of consultation ahead of the Supreme Court’s judgement on the Bihar SIR challenge.
Supreme Court justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi heard multiple petitions on July 10 contesting the legality and schedule of the Bihar SIR. The court declined to pause the process but urged the Commission to accept widely-used documents—such as Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards—for roster updates. It has asked the Election Commission to file a counter‑affidavit by July 21, with a further hearing scheduled for July 28.
Opposition leaders argue that by instructing states to gear up for national implementation before the court has delivered its ruling, the Election Commission seems to be prejudging the case outcome. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing petitioners, stated that any official statement from the Commission “holds little weight” until the Supreme Court decides, adding that proceeding would be “meaningless” without the judicial process concluding. Congress’s Manickam Tagore accused the Commission of disregarding the apex court’s views, claiming its action “shows how the ECI has been completely compromised”.
RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha heightened the critique, citing field-level dissatisfaction with the timeline and lamenting that there was no consultation with political parties before launching the exercise. Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose likened the nationwide rollout to a covert National Register of Citizens, warning that millions of people lacking prescribed documents—despite possessing voter ID—could be disenfranchised.
Analysts note the Election Commission’s rationale is to cleanse voter rolls marred by migration, duplication and potential inclusion of non-citizens. The Bihar SIR, according to the Commission, aims to include every citizen turning 18 by January 1, 2026, and exclude ineligible entries. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasized that purging obsolete entries is essential for electoral integrity.
Opposition parties counter that the process is impractical during the monsoon, unmanageable within 30 days, and risks omitting poor, migrant and marginalised voters. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh described the exercise as “impractical and unjust,” warning that up to three crore migrant workers in Bihar may be disenfranchised. INDIA bloc leaders organised protests and “chakka jams” in Patna, accusing the exercise of being a political tactic.
The fundamental legal question revolves around the Election Commission’s authority under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act to conduct a SIR and whether that authority was circumvented by ordering a nationwide rollout, bypassing the Supreme Court’s pending decision. The court noted that citizenship matters generally fall under the Home Ministry’s purview rather than the poll body.
All eyes are now on the Supreme Court’s next hearing on July 28. A ruling could clarify the Commission’s authority and set a potent precedent for electoral roll reforms across India.
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