SIR Under Scrutiny: Mass Deletions, Pending Appeals and Reported Dissent Inside the Election Commission
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls (a house-to-house re-check of the voter list) is facing fresh questions over large-scale deletion of voters' names in several states.
The Supreme Court had upheld the Bihar SIR on 27 May 2026, holding it valid under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The court also stressed that the Election Commission's role is limited to deciding who belongs on the voter list, and does not extend to general decisions on citizenship.
In West Bengal, about 38.2 lakh appeals were filed before the 19 appellate tribunals set up for SIR disputes. In an affidavit filed on 16 September 2026, the Election Commission told the Supreme Court that only about 1.02 lakh (under 3%) had been decided. Reports indicate that in most decided cases, the elector was added back to the roll.
In Delhi, lakhs of electors received notices for "no mapping" (their record could not be linked to the older voter list) or "logical discrepancies". The Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea against deletions in Delhi.
A media report said two of the three Election Commissioners recorded 14 written objections over about ten months, including on SIR-related decisions, changes to Form 6 (the new-voter registration form) and central control over voter-roll data and software. The Election Commission responded that written notes are a normal part of deliberation in a multi-member body and that its final decisions were unanimous.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls
An electoral roll is the official list of voters in a constituency, and only people on it can vote. A Special Intensive Revision is a very detailed check in which the list is rebuilt almost from scratch: officials visit every house, collect enumeration forms, and verify each voter's eligibility. The Election Commission can order such a revision under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, at any time, for reasons it must record. Its constitutional base is Article 324, which gives the Commission control over the preparation of electoral rolls.
The SIR has constitutional backing after the May 2026 judgment, but the current debate is about how it is carried out. A very low disposal rate of appeals and a high rate of restoration in decided cases raise the question of whether eligible voters were wrongly removed at the first stage.
T.N. Seshan v. Union of India (1995): The Multi-Member Election Commission
T.N. Seshan v. Union of India is the 1995 Supreme Court judgment that settled how a multi-member Election Commission works. The court upheld the law that made the Commission a three-member body, with a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs). It held that the CEC and ECs are on an equal footing when taking decisions, and that the Commission can decide by majority when members disagree.
The reported written objections by two Election Commissioners test the working rules this judgment and the 1991 Act laid down. Under them, every member has an equal voice and disagreements are meant to be resolved by discussion or by majority, which is why the Commission stressed that its final decisions were unanimous.
Election Commission of India (Article 324): Powers and Functions
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is the constitutional body that runs elections to Parliament, the state legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President. Article 324 of the Constitution gives it the "superintendence, direction and control" of preparing voter lists and conducting these elections. In simple words, the ECI is the referee of India's elections: it sets the timetable, keeps the voter list, enforces the rules, and makes sure the contest is fair.
Both parts of today's news test the ECI's Article 324 powers. The Supreme Court upheld the SIR as a lawful use of these powers together with Section 21(3), while the reported written objections by two Election Commissioners raise questions about how the three-member Commission takes decisions under the 1991 Act.
- Bihar SIR upheld by the Supreme Court on 27 May 2026 under Article 324 and Section 21(3), RP Act, 1950
- Bihar roll: about 7.89 crore electors before the SIR; about 7.42 crore in the final roll
- West Bengal: 19 appellate tribunals; about 38.2 lakh appeals filed; about 1.02 lakh decided (affidavit of 16 September 2026)
- Reported objections: 14 written objections by two Election Commissioners over about 10 months
- ECI: 3 members (CEC + 2 ECs) since 1 October 1993; decisions by majority if not unanimous (Section 10, 1991 Act)
- CEC and ECs: 6-year term or age 65, whichever is earlier (2023 Act)