The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking directions to the Election Commission to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Assam, observing that the final electoral roll had already been published and nothing survived for adjudication.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi took note of the Election Commission’s submission that the final rolls were published on February 10, rendering the challenge infructuous. “Nothing survives now,” the CJI said.
The PIL was filed by Mrinal Kumar Choudhary, who questioned the poll panel’s decision to carry out a standard Special Revision instead of a more rigorous Special Intensive Revision, similar to the one undertaken in Bihar in June 2025.
The petitioner sought quashing of the Election Commission’s memorandum dated November 17, 2025, and a direction to conduct an SIR in Assam ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The plea also sought exclusion of Aadhaar as a document for inclusion in electoral rolls.
Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for the petitioner, argued that an intensive revision was necessary to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls in the state.
Opposing the plea, senior advocate D.S. Naidu, appearing for the Election Commission, informed the court that the final electoral roll for Assam had already been prepared and published on February 10 following the completion of the Special Revision exercise.
Accepting this submission, the bench held that no relief could now be granted.
During the hearing, the bench underscored the sensitivity of issues relating to inclusion and exclusion from electoral rolls in Assam. It observed that under the existing statutory framework, the Election Commission does not have the power to arbitrarily declare individuals as foreigners, as such determinations are governed by statutory cut-off dates and decided by specialised tribunals.
“You have to be very sensitive and careful,” the CJI told the petitioner’s counsel.
Data from the Chief Electoral Officer, placed on record after the completion of the Special Revision, showed that the total number of voters in Assam has declined by 2.43 lakh.
With the final rolls already in place, the court declined to proceed with the PIL.
