Opposition Seeks Supreme Court Probe into ECI Decisions and SIR Voter Deletions

Opposition Leaders Approach Supreme Court Over SIR

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, have filed a joint writ petition before the Supreme Court concerning the Election Commission of India's (ECI) handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to The Indian Express, the petition seeks judicial intervention over what the petitioners describe as the alleged unilateral and arbitrary exercise of the Commission's collective powers.

The development comes amid opposition protests concerning the revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.

Questions Raised Over Election Commission Decisions

The petition alleges that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar exercised the Commission's collective powers without the knowledge, approval or concurrence of the other Election Commissioners.

It also questions whether the Commission recorded a formal decision authorising the nationwide SIR exercise.

These claims form part of the petitioners' arguments and have not been established as judicial findings in the supplied report.

Petition Challenges Changes to Form 6

Another issue raised in the petition concerns the alleged modification of statutory Form 6 without an amendment to the applicable rules.

Form 6 is used in the electoral-roll system for applications concerning the inclusion of names of eligible voters. The petitioners argue that changes to the prescribed process must comply with the relevant legal framework.

Concerns Over ECINET and ERONET

The opposition petition also raises questions about the centralised functioning and transparency of ECINET and ERONET, the digital systems associated with election administration and electoral-roll management.

The petitioners have questioned whether these systems operate with sufficient transparency and accountability during the SIR exercise.

Concerns Over Voter Deletions

The petition further alleges that large numbers of electors have been excluded from electoral rolls without adequate notice, an opportunity for a hearing or an effective mechanism to restore their names.

The issue raises questions about procedural safeguards for voters during electoral-roll revisions. Access to clear information and an effective process for correcting or challenging omissions is important to ensuring that eligible electors can exercise their voting rights.

What Happens Next?

The opposition leaders have asked the Supreme Court to intervene in the issues raised in their petition. The supplied report does not establish whether the Court has accepted the allegations or issued a decision on their merits.

The legal proceedings may bring further attention to the Election Commission's decision-making procedures, the implementation of SIR and safeguards governing the inclusion and exclusion of voters from electoral rolls.

Source: The Indian Express, Apurva Vishwanath, October 13, 2026.