Voter List Revision under SC Lens, HEARING Continues

• By Thetripurapost Desk, New Delhi
• Jan 21, 2026
• 593

The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that the process could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for citizens whose names may be excluded from the voters’ list.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing petitions challenging the SIR exercise being conducted in several states, including Bihar.
Observing that the right to vote is closely linked to constitutional values, the court remarked, “No power can be unchecked,” while noting that large-scale revision of electoral rolls has the potential to affect democratic participation if not carried out with strict safeguards.
During the hearing, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission, advanced arguments in support of the SIR process.
Justice Bagchi drew attention to the documentary requirements, pointing out that while Form-6 (used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls) mandates seven documents, the SIR process reportedly requires eleven. He questioned whether the Election Commission has the authority to arbitrarily increase or decrease the number of required documents.
The bench indicated that such changes could have serious implications and require careful judicial scrutiny.
The matter will be heard further on Thursday.