The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of a petition concerning the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process in Delhi and issued a notice to the Election Commission of India. The top court has directed the poll body to submit its detailed response within two weeks. The legal challenge raises major questions about the transparency of the electoral roll revision and the extensive deletion of registered voters across the capital.
Petition Flags Large-Scale Deletions and Automated Notices
Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, advocate Prashant Bhushan submitted before the court that more than 47 lakh names have been removed from the draft electoral roll in Delhi. Furthermore, notices have been dispatched to approximately 33 lakh additional individuals citing deficiencies in their official documentation and records. The petitioner argued that the entire revision mechanism lacks procedural transparency.
Prashant Bhushan argued that the commission has categorized the vast majority of these removed voters as having shifted elsewhere. Drawing a comparison to West Bengal, he noted that resolving voter appeals there would take another 12 years, warning of similar hurdles in Delhi where 47 lakh names have already been excluded from the draft roll.
Election Commission Responds to Transparency Concerns
Defending the poll authority, counsel D S Naidu informed the court that the commission had not received an advance copy of the writ petition. He explained that the petitioners had submitted a formal representation just one week prior, and moved the court before the commission could evaluate and respond to the matter. The commission contended that a public press note had already been issued and that every notice clearly articulates the specific grounds for verification.
Intervening during the arguments, Justice Bagchi directed the election authority to thoroughly look into the grievances raised by the petitioners. The bench remarked that the notices appear to be computer-generated forms. Justice Bagchi highlighted that notices are dispatched under specific classifications, noting that it is difficult for ordinary citizens to interpret technical classifications such as the LD category.
Ground Staffing Figures and 29 October Deadline
The CJI observed that the commission needs to bring greater logical clarity to the administrative distinction within the process. Responding to the top court's inquiry regarding how many booth-level personnel are managing the nearly 30 lakh verification notices, the Election Commission outlined its deployment of administrative manpower.
The commission stated that it has deployed 14,000 BLOs and 1,200 EROs on the ground to systematically clear the pending verification work. The authority informed the court that the prevailing deadline for completing the revision exercise is 29 October, adding that it is entirely open to extending the timeline if the work remains unfinished. Stressing that Delhi is not currently an election-bound state, the commission gave an assurance that no eligible voter's name will be unfairly expunged from the final rolls.
