Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

• 11 Jul 2025

For Prelims: Supreme Court, Election Commission of India, Aadhaar, Electoral Roll, Representation of the People Act, 1950, Article 324.                  

For Mains: Need of revision of electoral rolls and associated concerns, Steps needed to ensure  integrity and accuracy of electoral rolls revision. 

Source: HT 

Why in News?

The Supreme Court (SC) is reviewing the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and suggested accepting Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as valid documents for voter enumeration. 

• However, the SC rejected the argument made by petitioners that the ECI lacked the authority to carry out the revision.  

What are Key Facts Regarding the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls?

• About Electoral Rolls: An Electoral Roll (also known as a Voter List or Electoral Register) is the official list of all eligible and registered voters within a specific constituency.  
  • It is used to verify voter identities and ensure a fair and transparent electoral process during elections. 
  • The Electoral Rolls are prepared by the ECI under the Representation of the People Act (RP Act), 1950. 
  • It excludes non-citizens (Section 16) and includes citizens aged 18 or above who are ordinarily resident in the constituency (Section 19). 
• About Special Intensive Revision: SIR is a focused, time-bound house-to-house voters’ verification process conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to update and correct the electoral rolls before major elections.  
  • It ensures that the voter list is accurate, inclusive, and free from discrepancies by allowing new registrations, deletions, and modifications. 
  • Section 21 of the RP Act, 1950 empowers the ECI to prepare and revise electoral rolls, including conducting a special revision at any time with recorded reasons. 
• Constitutional Basis of SIR: Article 324 vests the ECI with the power to supervise and control the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections. 
  • Article 326 guarantees universal adult suffrage, allowing citizens aged 18 and above to vote, unless disqualified by law due to criminal conviction, unsound mind, or corruption. 
• Judicial Stand: The Supreme Court in the Mohinder Singh Gill v. The Chief Election Commissioner Case, 1977 upheld the ECI’s broad powers under Article 324 to ensure free and fair elections, including ordering re-polls if needed, and emphasized that judicial review is restricted during elections as per Article 329(b). 
  • It clarified that ECI can act independently if laws under Articles 327 and 328 are silent on any aspect. 
  • It also noted that while natural justice is important, the ECI can take swift and practical decisions in exceptional situations.  
• Previous Electoral Roll Revision: SIRs were conducted in 1952–56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983–84, 1987–89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003, and 2004 in various parts of the country. In Bihar, the last SIR was held in 2003. 

Note: Article 327 deals with the power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures. 

• Article 328 deals with power of the Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature. 

 

What is the Need for Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls? 

• Error-Free and Updated Voter List: SIR helps remove ineligible voters, add newly eligible or previously missed voters, and correct errors in the electoral roll to ensure accuracy and prevent fraud. 
  • SIR facilitates re-registration of migrants and shifting populations and ensures voter lists align with updated constituency boundaries. 
• Safeguarding Democratic Legitimacy: SIR supports the idea of "one person, one vote" by removing ghost voters and duplicates, helping maintain public trust in the democratic system through careful checks. 
• Boosting Voter Participation: SIR promotes civic participation through awareness drives and ensures accessible voter registration via door-to-door surveys and online options, especially benefiting marginalized groups. 
• Addressing Technological & Policy Upgrades: SIR supports digital integration of electoral rolls and facilitates policy reforms like remote voting for migrants to enhance accessibility and efficiency. 
  • E.g., Bihar became the first Indian state to pilot mobile e-voting in municipal polls via the E-SECBHR app, using blockchain, facial recognition, biometric scanning, and voter ID verification. 

What Concerns are Associated with Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls? 

• Risk of Mass Disenfranchisement: The exclusion of widely used IDs like Aadhaar, ration cards, or even voter IDs can disproportionately impact underprivileged voters.  
  • Traditionally, electoral rolls include individuals aged 18 and above based on their ordinary residence, but the current exercise also considers their place of birth. 
• Impact on Migrant Workers: Frequent moves by migrant workers, students, and seasonal labourers make it hard to prove residence, risking their exclusion from voter lists due to difficulty in updating details. 
• Suspicions of a Stealth National Register of Citizens: Requiring documents like birth certificates or legacy data may act as a de facto citizenship test, raising concerns of systematic exclusion of marginalized and minority groups. 
  • Growing concerns exist that SIR may be applied discriminatorily, thereby undermining electoral integrity and equitable representation. 
• Lack of Public Consultation: Top-down implementation and excessive documentation requirements risk undermining universal suffrage, especially for illiterate and homeless populations. 

How can the Integrity and Accuracy of the SIR Process be Strengthened? 

• Inclusive Documentation Policies: Although Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, it remains the most accessible ID for marginalized communities and should be permitted for residency verification, supplemented by cross-verification with legacy data. 
• Robust Verification & Data Accuracy: Conduct Aadhaar-Voter ID linking with safeguards, door-to-door verification by BLOs, and regular audit by electoral authorities e.g., State Election Commission to ensure an error-free and transparent SIR of electoral rolls. 
• Political & Legal Consensus: ECI should consult all stakeholders—including civil society—and run public awareness campaigns to clarify SIR rules and deadlines. 
  • Additionally, judicial oversight by the special tribunals and clear guidelines for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are essential to uphold constitutional safeguards and prevent arbitrary voter exclusions. 
• Technology-Driven Safeguards: Conduct AI-powered anomaly detection to flag suspicious deletions/additions (e.g., bulk removals from one locality), implement blockchain-based voter logs, and provide a real-time tracking dashboard to prevent tampering during SIR of electoral rolls. 
• Inclusivity Measures: Organize special camps for marginalized groups (e.g., disabled, and tribals), provide multilingual helplines, and conduct post-revision sample surveys to ensure accurate enrollment and minimize exclusions. 

Conclusion 

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is crucial for error-free elections but must balance accuracy with inclusivity. While the Supreme Court upheld the ECI’s authority, concerns over disenfranchisement and bias persist. Tech-driven verification, political consensus, and judicial oversight can strengthen SIR’s integrity, ensuring fair and transparent voter lists for democratic legitimacy. 

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is essential for electoral integrity but raises concerns of exclusion. Critically analyze.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)   

Prelims

Q. Consider the following statements: (2021)

1. In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies. 
2. In the 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies. 
3. As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her winning in all the constituencies. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only   

(b) 2 only  

(c) 1 and 3   

(d) 2 and 3  

Ans: (b) 

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Mains

Q. Discuss the procedures to decide the disputes arising out of the election of a Member of the Parliament or State Legislature under The Representation of the People Act, 1951. What are the grounds on which the election of any returned candidate may be declared void? What remedy is available to the aggrieved party against the decision? Refer to the case laws. (2022)