# Nirmala Sitharaman tells opposition to approach courts over SIR dispute as Maharashtra voter list row reaches Supreme Court

> Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has advised opposition parties to seek legal recourse over the Special Intensive Revision process. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition concerning the removal of over two million voter names in Maharashtra.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Politics · **Published:** 2026-10-26 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/politics/sir-vivada-para-nirmala-sitharaman-ki-do-tuka-vipaksha-se-bolin-adalata-jaen-aura-rakhen-apana-paksha-51900 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Nirmala Sitharaman, SIR, voter list, Supreme Court, Maharashtra, Election Commission

Amid intense political sparring over the Special Intensive Revision process, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated on Monday that opposition parties with grievances are free to approach the courts to seek justice and present their case. Responding to queries regarding continuous protests by opposition groups and their demands for action from the chief electoral officer, Sitharaman noted that courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, have already taken cognizance of complaints originating from various regions.

 She stated that people can participate in court proceedings, present their arguments, and secure justice through the judiciary, noting that many individuals are already doing so. Sitharaman added that opposition parties remain entirely free to raise the issue through political demonstrations as well.

 

## Controversy over removal of over two million names in Maharashtra
 The issue gained further momentum as the matter regarding SIR in Maharashtra reached the Supreme Court. On Monday, the apex court agreed to hear the case and issued notices to the central government, the Election Commission, and other respondents, with the next hearing scheduled for November 5.

 According to the petition, a massive number of voters had their names expunged from the draft voter rolls during the SIR drive in Maharashtra. Out of nearly 9.79 million registered voters in the state, approximately 2.07 million names were removed from the draft list. Data from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra revealed that out of 9,78,54,049 registered voters, 2,06,88,487 names were deleted, accounting for roughly 21.14 percent of the total electorate. The deletions occurred because these voters were reportedly unlocatable at their registered addresses during the verification process.

 

## Redevelopment activities in Mumbai and Pune cited as cause for disruption
 Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Arvind Daratar informed the Supreme Court that widespread redevelopment projects in Mumbai and Pune forced numerous residents to temporarily relocate to alternate dwellings. Consequently, the names of such voters were struck off because physical verification teams failed to find them at their previous addresses. The petition further alleged that roughly 1.22 million additional voters had their names deleted on grounds of alleged logical discrepancies.

 

## Key demands raised in the Supreme Court petition
 The petition challenging the Maharashtra SIR drive was filed in the Supreme Court by chartered accountant and journalist Arun Anandgiri. The plea urges the court to halt the ongoing SIR procedure in the state until a final verdict is delivered. It also requests that voters whose names figured in the electoral rolls prior to the revision exercise must not be removed pending the judicial outcome.

 A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued notices to the central government, the Election Commission, and other relevant respondents. The bench also includes Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana.

## What this means for you
The ongoing dispute over the Special Intensive Revision and the deletion of voter names holds significant practical implications for citizens across the nation, particularly in Maharashtra.

- **Across India:** Voters nationwide must verify their active status on electoral rolls to protect their voting rights during revision drives. The outcome of this Supreme Court case will establish a crucial legal precedent for future electoral verification processes across all states.

- **In Maharashtra:** Over two million individuals whose names were expunged from the draft rolls face immediate uncertainty regarding their franchise. Affected residents may need to approach local election authorities for verification before the upcoming Supreme Court hearing on November 5.

## Why this happened
The large-scale deletion of voter names during the SIR drive and the subsequent political friction stem from field verification challenges and urban relocation trends.

- **Absence during verification:** A massive volume of voters could not be located at their registered residences by field officials during doorstep checks, leading to automatic exclusions.

- **Urban redevelopment disruptions:** Extensive redevelopment projects in metropolitan hubs like Mumbai and Pune forced numerous families to relocate temporarily to different localities.

- **Logical discrepancies:** Records of approximately 1.22 million additional voters were purged from the rolls due to identified logical inconsistencies during data processing.

- **Judicial escalation:** Aggrieved by the sweeping deletions, petitioners challenged the arbitrary nature of the administrative exercise by approaching the Supreme Court.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What advice did Nirmala Sitharaman give to opposition parties?
Nirmala Sitharaman advised opposition parties that if they have grievances regarding the SIR process, they can approach courts and present their case there.

### 2. How many voter names were removed during the SIR process in Maharashtra?
A total of 2,06,88,487 voter names were removed from the draft list in Maharashtra, accounting for roughly 21.14 percent of total registered voters.

### 3. When is the Supreme Court scheduled to hear the case next?
The Supreme Court will hold the next hearing on the matter on November 5.

### 4. Who filed the petition in the Supreme Court?
Chartered accountant and journalist Arun Anandgiri filed the petition in the Supreme Court challenging the SIR process in Maharashtra.

### 5. Who is heading the Supreme Court bench hearing the petition?
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant is hearing the petition.

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