The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the power of the Election Commission to conduct the Special Identity Register (SIR) exercise, stating that the poll body was not acting outside its statutory powers. The court delivered its judgement on a batch of petitions challenging the SIR exercise in Bihar.
Judgement Details
A bench of the Supreme Court observed that the Election Commission has the authority under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to undertake such exercises. The court emphasized that the SIR is aimed at cleansing the electoral rolls and ensuring that no duplicate or fake entries exist.
Petitioners' Arguments
The petitioners had argued that the SIR exercise violated the fundamental rights of citizens, particularly the right to vote and the right to equality. They contended that the process was arbitrary and could lead to disenfranchisement of genuine voters.
Court's Reasoning
Dismissing these contentions, the court held that the SIR exercise is a statutory function and does not infringe upon any fundamental rights. The judgement noted that the Election Commission is empowered to revise electoral rolls and carry out special revisions when necessary. The court added that adequate safeguards are in place to prevent wrongful deletion of names.
The judgement is expected to have significant implications for the ongoing electoral roll revision processes in other states as well. The Election Commission welcomed the verdict, stating that it would continue its efforts to maintain clean and accurate electoral rolls.
