The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned to January 13 the final hearing in a batch of petitions questioning the Election Commission of India’s decision to undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in multiple states, including Bihar.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which had scheduled the matter for hearing the same day, postponed the proceedings to next Tuesday. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission, is expected to continue his submissions on the next date.
The petitions have stirred debate over the constitutional contours of the Election Commission’s powers, particularly in the context of citizenship and the right to vote. The core challenge is to the EC’s authority to conduct the SIR exercise, which the petitioners claim could impact voter inclusion and raise concerns about disenfranchisement.
During the earlier hearing on January 6, the Election Commission defended its actions, asserting that it is well within its constitutional mandate to conduct the Special Intensive Revision. It also stressed its obligation to ensure that “no foreigners are registered as voters.”
The Supreme Court is hearing a cluster of pleas that argue the revision exercise may exceed the poll panel’s constitutional powers under Articles 324 and 326 and could affect the legal rights of certain voter groups.
The outcome of these proceedings is expected to clarify the scope of the Election Commission’s authority regarding electoral roll revision and its intersection with the broader principles of citizenship and enfranchisement under Indian constitutional law.
