Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and 10 other leaders of the INDIA bloc on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the Election Commission of India (ECI), raising concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged irregularities in the poll process.
The petition seeks an interim suspension of the SIR exercise across states until the issues raised by the opposition leaders are examined and decided by the court. It also calls for an independent audit of voter deletions, disclosure of election commission records and safeguards to protect the voting rights of eligible citizens.
The petition names the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the two other Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, as respondents. It was filed through advocate S Prasanna after Rahul Gandhi was unable to reach the Supreme Court to submit it in person.
According to the petition, the opposition leaders have raised concerns over what they describe as the unilateral and arbitrary exercise of the Election Commission's collective powers during the ongoing SIR. They have questioned the transparency of decisions relating to electoral roll revisions and alleged that the process could affect eligible citizens' constitutional right to register as voters and exercise their franchise.
The INDIA bloc has listed 10 requests before the Supreme Court, seeking judicial scrutiny of the ECI's decisions and greater transparency in the revision of electoral rolls.
What are the 10 demands made by the INDIA bloc?
1. Suspend the ongoing SIR exercise
The petition seeks an interim direction to suspend the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across states until the court considers and decides the issues raised. The leaders said the move is necessary to protect eligible voters and preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
2. Disclose ECI records and database access logs
The petition seeks the Election Commission's complete files, agendas, minutes, internal notings and objections relating to disputed SIR decisions. It also seeks access logs for the ECINET and ERONET platforms, along with the complete file concerning the June 24, 2025, decision to launch the nationwide SIR.
3. Review the legality of SIR decisions
The opposition leaders have asked the court to examine whether the disputed decisions comply with Article 324 of the Constitution, Section 18 of the 2023 law governing Election Commissioners and the Supreme Court's ruling in T.N. Seshan v. Union of India. They have also sought the setting aside of decisions found to be unlawful.
4. Take action against those responsible for violations
The petition seeks action against officials or individuals found responsible for violating constitutional or statutory provisions governing electoral roll preparation and revision, including Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
5. Ensure that ECI decisions are properly recorded
The leaders have sought directions requiring every decision relating to the SIR to be taken collectively and duly recorded in accordance with Section 18 of the 2023 law governing Election Commissioners.
6. Ensure online Form 6 follows prescribed rules
The petition seeks directions to ensure that the online Form 6, used to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls, conforms to the form prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, unless the rules are amended through the legally prescribed procedure.
7. Set up an independent committee to audit voter deletions
The INDIA bloc has sought an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and comprising technical experts and eminent citizens. The proposed panel would audit deletions and modifications to electoral rolls during the SIR, examine access to electoral databases and review the technical systems and procedures relating to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in line with global best practices.
8. Publish booth-wise lists of deleted voters
The petition seeks publication of booth-wise lists of voters whose names were deleted during the SIR, along with the reasons for each deletion and a breakdown by gender and age. It also calls for an effective mechanism to restore the names of eligible voters who were wrongly removed.
9. Prevent deletions without notice and an opportunity to be heard
The opposition leaders have sought directions that no voter's name be deleted without prior notice and a reasonable opportunity for a hearing in accordance with the law. They have also requested that eligible voters in Punjab and other poll-bound states be allowed to apply for inclusion in electoral rolls until the applicable statutory deadline.
10. Pass further orders to protect voting rights
The petition seeks any additional directions the Supreme Court considers appropriate to safeguard electoral integrity and protect every eligible citizen's right to vote.
Who are the INDIA bloc leaders behind the petition?
Apart from Rahul Gandhi, the petition was filed by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, CPI general secretary D Raja, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Majhi, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule and IUML MP ET Mohammed Bashir.
The petition marks a fresh legal challenge by opposition parties to the Election Commission's handling of the electoral roll revision process. The Supreme Court will be asked to examine the legality of the disputed decisions, the transparency of the process and the safeguards available to voters whose names may be removed from electoral rolls.
