Opposition Questions EC’s ‘Hurry’ Over Nationwide Electoral Roll Revision Ahead Of SC Verdict | India News
New Delhi: With the Bihar elections approaching, the Election Commission has directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) across all states to initiate preparations for a Bihar-like Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. However, Opposition parties have criticized the move, questioning the “hurry” of implementing a nationwide SIR without consulting political parties.
Parties across the Opposition spectrum, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and the Left, said on Sunday that the Election Commission should have waited for the Supreme Court to conclude its hearing on the matter before issuing directions for a Bihar-like Special Intensive Revision.
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court, while hearing a batch of petitions raising concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in poll-bound Bihar, declined to restrain the Election Commission from proceeding with the exercise. However, it suggested that the Commission consider using Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards to update the electoral rolls. The Court allowed the EC to file a counter-affidavit by July 21, with the next hearing scheduled for July 28.
According to reports dated July 5, just a day after a petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, the Election Commission wrote to Chief Electoral Officers across all states, directing them to begin preparations for a similar exercise, this time using January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date.
The mention of January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date suggests that while the nationwide exercise may begin soon, a final timeline for its completion across the country is yet to be determined. The objective, however, is to ensure the inclusion of all individuals who turn 18 by that date.
Leaders from various Opposition parties on Sunday criticized the Election Commission for moving ahead with plans to implement a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) nationwide, arguing that the poll body should have waited for the Supreme Court to deliver its judgment on the matter. They questioned the rationale behind initiating such a significant exercise without broader consultation and before the legal proceedings, specifically concerning Bihar, had concluded.
Opposition leaders voiced strong reservations about the Election Commission’s decision to initiate a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Among their key concerns were the perceived haste in rolling out the exercise and the absence of prior consultation with political parties. They argued that such an important move, one that directly impacts voter inclusion and electoral transparency, should not be undertaken unilaterally, especially while the legality of the process in Bihar is still under judicial scrutiny.
Speaking to the media, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is representing the petitioners in the Supreme Court case challenging the SIR in Bihar, said that any statement by the Election Commission holds little weight until the Court delivers its verdict. “A statement of the ECI is effectually meaningless because everything will depend on the outcome of the pending case in the Supreme Court, not only on July 28, but on a few dates thereafter,” Singhvi said. “Depending on that outcome alone, everything else will proceed or not proceed. Merely giving jingoistic statements is meaningless. Let us wait for the entire Supreme Court proceedings to work itself out.”
Congress MP and Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore accused the Election Commission of disregarding the Supreme Court’s views, saying, “The latest directives from the ECI show it is not ready to respect the Supreme Court’s views as well… it shows how the ECI has been completely compromised.”
RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Kumar Jha expressed concerns over the timeline in Bihar and the EC’s failure to consult political parties. “As ground reports from The Indian Express and other media platforms indicate, the ECI is brazenly focusing on headline management while ignoring the concerns of enumerators and those undergoing enumeration,” he said.
Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Javed Ali Khan criticized both the EC and the BJP, calling the electoral roll revision “arbitrary.” He added, “The EC can conduct this exercise nationwide, but it should wait for the Supreme Court order in this matter.”
TMC Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghose questioned whether the EC was effectively preparing a citizens’ register under the guise of electoral roll revision. “Our party believes the main target of the SIR exercise is Bengal. This is an NRC from the backdoor. The EC should clarify if it is preparing a citizens’ register, which is not its job,” Ghose said. She further warned that millions of Indians lack the documents the EC is demanding, giving the Commission excessive discretionary power to decide what constitutes valid documentation and potentially strike voters off the rolls. “This is a malafide exercise targeting the poorest and most vulnerable. The EC is going far beyond its remit,” she added.
CPI(M) leader John Brittas clarified that the Opposition is not opposed to revising voter lists to remove fake voters. “However, this should not be used as a ploy to conduct an NRC through the backdoor or to manipulate the electorate,” he said. Brittas emphasized that the Election Commission must heed the Supreme Court’s observation that deciding citizenship is not within its mandate. “The EC should also consult political parties before undertaking such an exercise,” he added.
“All valid IDs, including Aadhaar and voter ID cards, should be accepted for this process, and voters must be given sufficient time to participate,” John Brittas added.
CPI general secretary D. Raja questioned the Election Commission’s urgency in initiating a nationwide revision of electoral rolls. “The Supreme Court is still hearing the matter, and the EC has yet to respond. Why the rush? Especially when states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal face elections next year. The EC owes an explanation for this haste,” Raja said.
