Justice Bhuyan, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court, issued a scathing critique of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process on March 22, 2026, calling the mass deletion of voters a violation of the Constitution’s basic structure. He argued that the right to vote is integral to democratic governance and that any attempt to strip citizens of that right undermines the very fabric of the republic.
The criticism triggered an immediate backlash from the opposition. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh slammed Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Electoral Officer, saying the CEC had "lost all moral right to continue in office" and demanded his removal. Ramesh cited Bhuyan’s remarks as evidence that the SIR was unconstitutional and that Kumar’s role in its implementation made him complicit.
P Chidambaram echoed the call, urging voters to read retired Justice Nariman’s 2019 observations on voter disenfranchisement and Justice Bhuyan’s Hyderabad remarks. He posted a column titled "Millions of Citizen Non‑voters" in the Indian Express, warning that the Supreme Court must "rise to the occasion" to protect the Constitution and democracy.
The Election Commission defended the SIR as a necessary tool to clean the electoral rolls, arguing that inaccuracies had led to electoral fraud. It maintains that the process follows established legal frameworks and that any judicial challenge will be addressed through the courts.
With the Supreme Court now under scrutiny, Congress has scheduled a press conference for Thursday to press the Justices for a hearing on the SIR. The CEC’s office announced it would file an appeal against the opposition’s calls for removal, setting the stage for a high‑stakes legal battle that could reshape voter‑registration policy across the country.