Former CEC Quraishi declares Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls illegal, raising constitutional and governance concerns

The Hindu - News · 24 Sept 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Polity Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi termed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as illegal, citing procedural violations and lack of transparency, which threatens electoral integrity and federal principles.

Key points

Special Intensive Revision (SIR): Former CEC S.Y. Quraishi declared the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls illegal, citing procedural violations and lack of transparency in voter verification processes.

Electoral Roll Purity: Quraishi emphasized that maintaining purity of electoral rolls is a legal requirement under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which the ECI has upheld for 75 years.

Delimitation Linkage: CPI(M) MP John Brittas alleged that SIR and delimitation are interlinked, aimed at disenfranchising voters to benefit the ruling party, raising federalism concerns.

ECI Internal Disputes: Reports reveal disagreements among Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Vivek Joshi over SIR procedures, questioning its legality.

Political Implications: Congress' Jairam Ramesh highlighted the government's intent to push the Delimitation Bill during Navratri, linking it to women's reservation and North-South representation issues.

[GS2-Governance] The SIR controversy exposes systemic flaws in electoral roll management, requiring reforms in voter verification and ECI's operational transparency.

[GS3-Security] Mass voter deletions under SIR could undermine democratic legitimacy, creating security risks from disenfranchised populations and political instability.

Federal Concerns: Smaller states and northeastern regions fear underrepresentation in delimitation, as highlighted by former bureaucrats at the event.

Judicial Scrutiny: Supreme Court observations on 'machine-generated' SIR notices indicate potential judicial intervention to uphold electoral integrity.

Way Forward: The ECI must establish transparent SIR protocols with bipartisan oversight, implement blockchain-based voter verification, and conduct delimitation only after 2031 Census with state consultations.

Key terms

Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

A special voter list verification process conducted by the Election Commission of India to identify and remove duplicate/ineligible voters. Its constitutional significance lies in Article 324, which mandates the ECI to ensure free and fair elections, making transparent SIR procedures vital for democratic legitimacy.

Delimitation

The process of redrawing parliamentary and assembly constituency boundaries based on population changes, governed by the Delimitation Commission Act, 2002. For UPSC, it's crucial as it impacts federal representation, necessitates constitutional amendments under Article 82, and influences political power distribution between states.

Representation of the People Act, 1950

The foundational law governing electoral roll preparation and delimitation. Its Section 21 mandates periodic revision of rolls, making its provisions central to GS2 questions on election governance and constitutional machinery.

Article 324

The constitutional provision vesting superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission. Its interpretation determines the ECI's autonomy and operational latitude, frequently tested in landmark cases like Sadiq Ali v. ECI (1971) and recent electoral bonds judgment.