The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls represents one of the most significant electoral reforms undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in recent years. It ensures that the voter list is accurate, inclusive, and free from discrepancies by allowing new registrations, deletions, and modifications. This comprehensive electoral exercise has sparked intense debate about democratic participation, citizenship verification, and the fundamental right to vote in the world's largest democracy. The SIR process, currently being implemented in Bihar and planned for other states including West Bengal, marks a departure from traditional electoral roll revision methods.
Definition and Legal Framework:
The Special Intensive Revision is an extraordinary electoral roll revision process conducted by the Election Commission of India under specific legal provisions. Section 21 of the RP Act, 1950 empowers the ECI to prepare and revise electoral rolls, including conducting a special revision at any time. This legal authority provides the constitutional foundation for the ECI to undertake comprehensive voter list overhauls when deemed necessary.
The Election Commission's authority to conduct SIR derives from Article 324 of the Indian Constitution, which vests the ECI with comprehensive powers over election management. The constitutional framework establishes the ECI as an independent constitutional body responsible for ensuring free and fair elections, including maintaining accurate electoral rolls.
Article 324 empowers the Election Commission to supervise, direct, and control the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections to Parliament and state legislatures. This broad mandate includes the authority to undertake special revisions when the Commission determines that existing electoral rolls require comprehensive updating to maintain their integrity and accuracy.
The Election Commission has justified the SIR based on identified problems with existing electoral rolls. The ECI cited major changes in voter lists caused by urbanisation, migration, and voters shifting addresses without deleting previous entries, leading to duplication. These systemic issues have created challenges for electoral integrity and administrative efficiency.
Supreme Court Proceedings:
The implementation of SIR in Bihar has faced significant legal challenges, with multiple petitions filed in the Supreme Court. They claim that the SIR is arbitrary and violative of the universal right to adult suffrage.
However, the SC rejected the argument made by petitioners that the ECI lacked the authority to carry out the revision. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the Election Commission's constitutional authority while expressing concerns about implementation methods and potential impacts on voter participation.
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