Will Set Aside Entire SIR If Methodology Illegal: SC Warns ECI

The Supreme Court on Monday said that it would set aside the entire process of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) if any illegality is found in the methodology adopted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi fixed October 7 for hearing final arguments on validity of Bihar SIR, stating that it was presuming that the ECI, being a constitutional authority, had followed the law during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, PTI reported. 

The bench said that it would not offer any "any piecemeal opinion" on the exercise. The court then added that its final verdict would apply to SIR exercises conducted across India, not just in Bihar.

"Our judgement in Bihar SIR will be applicable for Pan-India SIR," the bench said, clarifying it can't stop the poll panel from conducting the similar exercise for revision of electoral roll across the country.

The Supreme Court had earlier ordered for the inclusion of Aadhar card as the 12th prescribed document in the Bihar SIR and intervened after complaints that election officials were refusing to recognise it despite earlier directions. The court noted the EC’s objections and said that that while Aadhaar cannot prove citizenship, it was legitimate proof of identity and residence.

The opposition had claimed that the exclusion of Aadhar from the documents required for addition of name to the electoral roll is an unfair cleanup since it is a commonly held document as opposed to others.

On August 18, the ECI had published a draft list in which 65 lakh voters had been deleted as part of the SIR exercise.