Obstacle race: On Special Intensive Revision exercise

Published 2026-10-03 · Updated 2026-10-03 · 3 min · 568 words

UPSC CSE Context

Why in News

Opposition parties and citizens protested against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, alleging mass disenfranchisement.

Syllabus Connection

Polity and Governance: Election Commission, electoral rolls, universal adult franchise, constitutional bodies.

Exam Relevance

Important for questions on electoral integrity, institutional accountability, and the balance between administrative efficiency and citizens' rights.

Core Issue

SIR exercise allegedly disenfranchises lakhs of voters.

Key Development

ECI's SIR removed nearly 13.4 crore electors, prompting protests and demands for CEC's resignation.

Stakeholders

• Election Commission of India
• Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
• Student groups
• BJP-led Union and State governments
• Supreme Court

Static Knowledge

High-Value Background

• Article 324 vests superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission.
• Universal adult franchise under Article 326 is a basic feature of the Constitution.

Exam Linkage

• Useful for questions on electoral reforms, ECI's independence, and judicial review of administrative actions.

Concepts in Context

• Electoral roll revision is a continuous process under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
• Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are key field functionaries for electoral roll maintenance.

Institutions and Mechanisms

• Form 6 is used for inclusion of names in electoral rolls under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

Dynamic Analysis

Constitutional/Legal

• The SIR shifts the burden of proof onto citizens, undermining the presumption of eligibility under universal adult franchise.
• Alteration of Form 6 without rule amendment violates statutory procedure and may be ultra vires.
• Mass deletions without individual notice may violate principles of natural justice.

Governance

• Centralised roll database enables rapid bulk deletions, reducing local accountability.
• BLOs' restoration of deleted voters indicates procedural failure and lack of due diligence.
• The ECI's internal dissent highlights institutional checks but also majority dominance.
• The exercise's phased expansion suggests a template for nationwide roll purging.

Federalism

• Extension from States to Union Territories centralises electoral roll control, bypassing local administrative nuances.
• State governments' support for prohibitory orders reflects partisan alignment with the Centre.
• The use of 'logical discrepancies' as a criterion may disproportionately affect marginalised groups in specific regions.

Society

• Deletion of 14% of electorate disproportionately impacts poor, migrant, and less-educated citizens.
• The onerous re-inclusion process creates barriers for those without digital access or awareness.
• Protests and detentions signal erosion of democratic space for dissent.

Prelims Takeaways

• Article 326 provides for universal adult franchise.

Mains Value Addition

Arguments

• The SIR undermines the constitutional guarantee of universal adult franchise by shifting the burden of proof to citizens.
• Procedural irregularities in Form 6 amendment erode the rule of law and ECI's credibility.
• The ECI's corrective steps are insufficient to restore trust in electoral integrity.

Examples

• In West Bengal, 16.1 lakh deletion requests were filed against electors already cleared by judicial officers.

Data Points

• Nearly 13.4 crore electors removed across 30 States and UTs, about 14% of the electorate.
• Deletion rates: 8.3% in Bihar, 12.9% in Phase 2, 17% in Phase 3.

Counterpoints

• ECI claims deleted electors can reapply during claims phase, but only if they discover their deletion.
• Some deletions may be legitimate to remove duplicate or dead voters, but the process lacks transparency.

Way Forward

• ECI should conduct a transparent audit of SIR deletions and publish disaggregated data.
• Amend rules to require individual notice and hearing before deletion.
• Strengthen BLO capacity and accountability for field verification.
• Establish an independent grievance redressal mechanism for electoral roll disputes.
• Parliament should review the SIR process and consider legislative safeguards for voter inclusion.

Primary/reference source: thehindu.com