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Election Commission Defends Exclusive Control Over Voter Rolls

9/15/2025

Summary

Story summary

The Election Commission of India (ECI) asserts its exclusive authority over electoral roll revisions, rejecting judicial mandates for regular Special Intensive Revisions (SIR).
The ECI argues that fixed timelines for SIRs would violate its constitutional powers under Article 324 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
A nationwide SIR is scheduled, with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date, following a conference of Chief Electoral Officers on September 10.
Opposition parties claim the Bihar SIR, the first since 2003, seeks to disenfranchise voters, while the ECI defends it as essential for voter list integrity.
The final electoral roll for Bihar will be published on September 30, 2025, showing a decrease in voter count from 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore.

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Story summary

The Election Commission of India (ECI) asserts its exclusive authority over electoral roll revisions, rejecting judicial mandates for regular Special Intensive Revisions (SIR).
The ECI argues that fixed timelines for SIRs would violate its constitutional powers under Article 324 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
A nationwide SIR is scheduled, with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date, following a conference of Chief Electoral Officers on September 10.
Opposition parties claim the Bihar SIR, the first since 2003, seeks to disenfranchise voters, while the ECI defends it as essential for voter list integrity.
The final electoral roll for Bihar will be published on September 30, 2025, showing a decrease in voter count from 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore.