The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, heard pleas against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in New Delhi on 18 September 2024. The bench noted that the SIR process had been questioned 14 times in recent months by Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, who raised concerns about the deletion of names from the rolls.
The court emphasized the need for authenticated information before any decision. It warned that it could annul any action taken by the CEC if it proved improper, citing a recent news report that might be partially correct. Justice V Mohana and Justice Joymalya Bagchi joined the discussion, stressing the court’s role in safeguarding electoral integrity.
Petitioner Vikas Singh urged the bench to suspend the CEC immediately, arguing that Election Commission decisions must be unanimous and that the CEC lacked legal protection against prosecution. He warned that the country could "burn" if unilateral decisions continued. The court declined to restrain the CEC from making decisions without unanimity, but agreed to examine the validity of the immunity shield.
A Delhi voter whose name was removed from the rolls expressed frustration after discovering the deletion in a recent audit. The voter said the loss of voting rights forced them to appeal to the Supreme Court for redress, highlighting the human impact of the SIR process.
The court has now issued notices to the Election Commission and the CEC, demanding that they provide full records of any modifications to Form 6 and the SIR procedure. The notices request that the CEC submit evidence within ten days, after which the court will decide whether to grant interim orders or annul the disputed decisions.