'SIR Exercise Disenfranchised Millions': SC Advocate Dushyant Dave Slams EC

Supreme Court senior advocate Dushyant Dave on Thursday expressed apprehension over the Election Commission’s functioning, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise had "disenfranchised millions".

Speaking at the 17th KM Bashir Memorial Lecture at the Science & Technology Museum Auditorium, Dave referred to recent reports of disagreements within the Election Commission and said that the Chief Election Commissioner continued with decisions despite objections from other commissioners, The New Indian Express reported.

“In the past 48 hours the two election commissioners have brought out that the Chief Election Commissioner was doing something which is completely wrong, and yet nothing was done,” Dave said.

He also criticised the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the SIR process to continue, alleging that it contributed to voter disenfranchisement in states including Bihar and West Bengal.

“The Supreme Court has allowed the SIR exercise to take place and as a result the elections in Bihar and West Bengal have taken place, disenfranchising millions,” he said.

Dave alleged that notices issued during the SIR exercise had put the voting rights of legitimate voters at risk across Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Delhi. He added that he and his wife had also received such notices.

During the lecture, Dave also raised concerns over the judiciary, alleging growing executive influence, corruption and a lack of social diversity among judges. Referring to recent Supreme Court appointments, he said the absence of a woman judge reflected concerns over representation in the higher judiciary.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Election Commission’s SIR exercise of undermining voters’ rights and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“This is not just an attack on the vote, but an attack on the basic expression of every single Indian person,” Gandhi said at a press conference.

Gandhi alleged that the CEC had failed in his duty to protect the electoral process and claimed that the exercise represented an attack on the Constitution and democracy. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were involved in what he described as a wider conspiracy.

The remarks came after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months on decisions linked to the SIR process and other electoral matters.

According to the report, the two commissioners questioned certain decisions related to electoral rolls, including changes in procedures and steps allegedly taken without their knowledge.