सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने दिल्ली SIR में वोटरों को ‘मेकैनिकली’ नोटिस भेजने पर सवाल उठाया

Delhi SIR: Supreme Court Questions ECI Over ‘Mechanical’ Issuance of Notices to Voters

Delhi SIR has generated significant attention after the draft electoral roll published on August 31, 2026 removed around 47.7 lakh names from the existing list of approximately 1.45 crore electors.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, September 22, questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the manner in which notices were being issued to voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Delhi’s electoral rolls.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, heard a plea concerning notices issued to more than 33 lakh voters whose names have been flagged for either “no mapping” with the 2002 electoral roll or “logical discrepancies.”

The Court observed that the notices appeared to have been issued “almost mechanically” and sought clarification from the ECI on the basis for identifying voters under the “logical discrepancy” category. The Bench also sought details regarding the manpower deployed for the verification exercise.

The petition has been filed by activists Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri and argued by advocate Prashant Bhushan. It challenges the failure to disclose the names of voters who have been issued notices and the specific reasons for such notices.

The petitioners have sought a searchable, consolidated list identifying all electors who received notices, along with the precise reason for each notice. They have also sought disclosure of the criteria, algorithmic parameters and operational guidelines used to identify “logical discrepancies.”

Last week the Supreme Court had agreed to hear the petition concerning the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral rolls of Delhi NCR after Advocate Prashant Bhushan had mentioned a fresh petition concerning the Delhi SIR before the CJI Surya Kant led bench.

Bhushan told the bench, "Now what has happened is apart from the 47 lakh people who have been deleted...they have given notices to other 33 lakh people..people on two grounds. One is logical discrepancies, and the second is they are saying that they are unmapped. Now they have not disclosed, though their rules say that they must disclose on their website the names of the people to whom notices are being issued. They have not disclosed that. The notices do not mention the reason why they are being asked to come. And they have not disclosed what is the basis for flagging somebody as a logical discrepancy. It is totally opaque."

The Delhi SIR has generated significant attention after the draft electoral roll published on August 31, 2026 removed around 47.7 lakh names from the existing list of approximately 1.45 crore electors. The Election Commission said the enumeration phase resulted in forms being collected and uploaded for about 97.51 lakh electors.

Those whose names are missing from the draft roll can file claims for inclusion between August 31 and September 30, along with the prescribed forms and supporting documents. The process also provides for verification and hearings where required. The Delhi SIR schedule has been revised three times. Under the latest timeline, the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on November 4, 2026.

In May, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. A CJI Surya Kant led bench, in its verdict said SIR is not in conflict with the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Rules framed thereunder. "The impugned SIR does not supplant the Representation of the People Act and the Rules. Rather, it breathes life into the constitutional mandate under Article 324 within the precise statutory contours provided by Section 21(3). Therefore, it cannot be said that the Commission has acted in excess of its statutory powers," the CJI read in court.

Court had further held that the object sought to be achieved by the SIR bears a direct nexus to the constitutional goal of free and fair elections. "Free and fair elections do not rest merely upon the mechanics of polling. They fundamentally depend upon the integrity, accuracy and credibility of the electoral rolls, which form the foundation of the democratic process," the bench also comprising Justices Bagchi and Pancholi has held.

On the reasons given by the ECI to conduct the SIR, namely the passage of more than four decades since the last intensive revision, large-scale additions and deletions over the years, rapid urbanisation, migration and the resulting possibility of repetition and inaccuracies in the electoral rolls, the bench observed that these are clearly directed towards preserving that foundational integrity.

"SIR meets the requirements of proportionality. The measures adopted bear a reasonable nexus to the objectives sought to be achieved, are not manifestly excessive and are accompanied by sufficient procedural safeguards to prevent arbitrary exclusion. We hold that the impugned exercise was founded upon a legitimate and constitutionally grounded purpose, namely the restoration of accuracy, completeness and integrity of the electoral rolls," the bench had further held.

Case Title: ANJALI BHARDWAJ Vs ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi and Justice Mohana

Hearing Date: September 22, 2026

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