Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

23.08.2025

Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

Context

The Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission’s authority in Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of rolls, permitting continuation while advising acceptance of Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards, amid debates on disenfranchisement of migrants and marginalized groups.

What are Electoral Rolls?

• Electoral Roll = Official list of all registered voters in a constituency.
   
• Prepared by the ECI under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
   
• Inclusion (Sec. 19): Indian citizens, 18+ years, ordinarily resident in the constituency.
   
• Exclusion (Sec. 16): Non-citizens, those disqualified due to conviction, unsound mind, or corruption.
   
• Legal & Constitutional basis:
   
  • Article 324: ECI’s authority over preparation of rolls & elections.
     
  • Article 326: Universal adult suffrage.
     
  • Articles 327–328: Parliament/State Legislatures can make election-related provisions.
     

What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

• Definition: A time-bound, house-to-house voter verification drive conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
   
• Scope: Combines intensive (door-to-door verification) and summary (corrections, deletions, additions) methods.
   
• Purpose: Ensures electoral rolls are accurate, inclusive, and free from errors before major elections.
   
• Legal Basis: Section 21 of the RP Act, 1950 allows the ECI to order a “special revision” with recorded reasons.
   
• Constitutional Backing: ECI’s plenary powers under Article 324, reinforced by Mohinder Singh Gill v. CEC (1977).
   

Bihar’s Exercise

• First nationwide SIR in 20+ years, beginning with Bihar (Assembly elections due in Nov 2025).
   
• Features:
   
  • Door-to-door verification.
     
  • Reliance on existing rolls with documentary validation.
     
  • New requirement: proof of birth/place of birth — not seen in earlier revisions.
     
• Rationale:
   
  • Rising migration and urbanisation → duplicate/missing entries.
     
  • Political complaints of manipulation.
     
  • Large electorate (7 crore+) needing cleansing & standardisation.
     

History of Intensive Revisions in India

• First Phase (1952–66): Corrected early flaws; addressed exclusion of women.
   
• Phased revisions (1960s–70s): Conducted before major elections for accuracy.
   
• 1980s onwards: Focus shifted to preventing ineligible entries (esp. foreign nationals in border states).
   
• 1990s: Revisions aided rollout of Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).
   
• 2000s: Shifted to summary revisions due to improved records & high costs; intensive methods used selectively.
   
• Last SIR in Bihar: 2003.
   

Need for Special Intensive Revision

• Error-Free Voter List: Removes ghost voters, duplicates; adds new/missing voters.
   
• Demographic Adjustments: Re-register migrants, urban migrants, shifting populations.
   
• Democratic Legitimacy: Safeguards “one person, one vote.”
   
• Civic Participation: Door-to-door surveys boost awareness & registration, esp. for marginalized groups.
   
• Tech & Policy Upgrades: Supports digital integration, potential future reforms (e.g., remote voting for migrants).
   

Concerns with the Current SIR

• Mass Disenfranchisement: Extra burden of birth proofs may exclude genuine voters.
   
• Migrant Workers at Risk: Frequent relocations make residence verification difficult.
   
• Fear of NRC by Stealth: Birth/legacy document requirements resemble citizenship verification.
   
• Discriminatory Application: May disproportionately affect minorities and vulnerable groups.
   
• Lack of Consultation: Top-down rollout, limited public awareness, and illiteracy barriers.
   

Judicial Stand

• Supreme Court (1977 – Mohinder Singh Gill case):
   
  • Upheld ECI’s wide powers under Article 324.
     
  • Allowed independent ECI action where laws are silent.
     
  • Emphasized free and fair elections over rigid procedures.
     
• Present Stand (2025):
   
  • ECI has authority for SIR.
     
  • Aadhaar, ration card, and voter ID must be accepted.
     
  • Judicial review during elections is limited (Article 329(b)).
     

Way Forward

• Inclusive Documentation: Accept widely used IDs like Aadhaar for residence proof; cross-check with legacy records.
   
• Robust Verification: Use door-to-door BLO checks, Aadhaar-Voter linking (with safeguards), and regular audits.
   
• Political & Legal Consensus: Build stakeholder consultations, run public awareness campaigns, and provide appeal mechanisms.
   
• Tech-Driven Safeguards: Deploy AI anomaly detection, blockchain-based logs, and real-time dashboards.
   
• Inclusivity Measures: Organize special camps, multilingual helplines, and post-revision surveys to ensure fairness.

Conclusion

The Special Intensive Revision ensures electoral integrity and accuracy. While the Supreme Court upheld ECI’s authority, concerns of exclusion persist. Balancing accuracy with inclusivity, aided by technology, safeguards, and citizen participation, remains vital for India’s free and fair democracy.