The Supreme Court summoned the Election Commission of India on Monday, placing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on notice over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Chief Justice Surya Kant, leading the bench, cut through procedural noise to demand substance. "We need authenticated information," the CJI stated. "Cannot go like this. We can always annul any decision."
Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing a group of petitioners, pushed the court toward immediate intervention. He argued that the Election Commission's decisions must be unanimous, a point he claimed was violated by the CEC's current unilateral actions. Singh also targeted the legal immunity granted to the CEC, arguing that such protection from prosecution is exclusive to the President. He noted that neither the Prime Minister nor Supreme Court judges enjoy this specific shield.
The plea hearing turned sharp as Singh urged the bench to "suspend the CEC immediately." He sought interim directions to halt the current administrative process, warning that inaction would lead to chaos. "Or else the country will burn," Singh told the court, emphasizing the perceived exceptional nature of the protection currently afforded to the poll chief.
The court has now made it clear that rhetoric will not suffice. The bench requires concrete, verified evidence to adjudicate the petitioners' claims. Until that material is placed on record, the SIR process remains in a state of judicial limbo, with the potential for the court to annul existing decisions if the evidence is found lacking.