Did EC give data to show SIR was necessary and imminent, petitioners ask SC

Petitioners challenge the Election Commission's need for a nationwide SIR, citing risks to marginalized voters' civil rights.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) if the Election Commission of India (EC) had placed any data on record to demonstrate that a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was necessary and imminent despite annual updates to the electoral roll.

Mr. Sibal opened the rejoinder submissions for the petitioners, which include Opposition parties from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, after the poll body completed its marathon arguments, spread over multiple days, in favour of the SIR.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, for NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, pointed out that ordinary people, especially the marginalised sections, use their position in the electoral roll to exercise core civil rights.

“Rights which they cannot exercise unless they are citizens. The problem is on the ground when evidentiary documentation is sought for. If you cannot show one of the two documents, you have to live in dread of being thrown out as a foreigner… God knows when that axe would fall. We have seen ICE do that in the U.S. It may happen here. It may not be this dispensation or this EC or this government we have to be worried about. We are worried about the fact that this small piece of paper holds protection for us, our civil rights and our right to be a part of this country,” Mr. Sankaranaraynan submitted.

Mr. Sibal submitted that the Commission, being a constitutional authority, should have been able to provide data based on a detailed study that it was necessary to conduct SIR.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant pointed out that the poll body was only asking for documents in cases of electors unable to link their names to that of themselves or their parents in the 2002 electoral rolls.