Background and Introduction

The Election Commission of India (EC) has conducted a Special-Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, intended as a routine administrative measure to remove deceased, duplicate, or migrated voters. However, the process has been criticized for its lack of transparency, arbitrariness, and disregard for citizens' right to vote, especially impacting marginalized groups like the poor, migrants, and daily wage workers.

Issues with the SIR Process

• Timing and Execution:
  • The SIR was launched nationwide shortly before crucial elections, compressing a process that requires careful planning and verification into a rushed timeline.
• Exclusion of Vulnerable Groups:
  • Marginalized groups face difficulties in proving identity and residence due to unreasonable bureaucratic demands.
• Constitutional Concerns in Bihar:
  • The Supreme Court intervened in Bihar, highlighting the process's lack of transparency and constitutional adherence.
  • Five corrective measures were imposed by the Court, including publication of deleted voter lists and accepting Aadhaar as valid identification.

Supreme Court Interventions

• Publication of Deleted Voter Lists: The Court mandated the release of lists of deleted voters, emphasizing the need for transparency.
• Recognition of Aadhaar: Aadhaar was directed to be accepted as a valid document, correcting the EC's oversight.
• Involvement of Legal Services: Free legal aid was involved to assist wrongfully deleted voters in filing claims and objections.
• Judicial Supervision: Near-weekly hearings and compliance reports were required due to the EC's mistrusted process.
• Real-time Disclosure: The EC was ordered to publish daily booth-wise numbers of deletions and additions.

Operational Challenges

• Field Officer Burden: Officers faced unrealistic deadlines and uneven verification processes, resulting in tragic consequences, including suicides among Booth Level Officers.
• Political Party Opposition: Almost every political party has raised concerns, with some parties only recently aligning with these criticisms.

Critical Reflections

• Need for Technological Transparency:
  • The EC must make electoral rolls machine-readable and searchable to improve accessibility and accountability.
• Questioning Precedents:
  • The EC's reliance on precedents like the Kamal Nath judgment is critiqued for compromising voter rights.
• Call for Reforms:
  • The EC should pause and reform the SIR process, focusing on voter protection rather than statistical hygiene.

Conclusion

The SIR exercise has been marked by significant procedural flaws and has raised questions about the EC's commitment to democratic principles. Moving forward, the focus should be on transparency, inclusivity, and genuine electoral roll integrity.