Story perspectives

Bhuyan Warns Voter Disenfranchisement Violates Constitution After 13.3 Crore Excluded

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 4:11 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan warned that disenfranchising millions violates Articles 326 and 14 of the Constitution.
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision removed about 13.3 crore voters from draft electoral rolls.
Former Supreme Court judge Rohinton F. Nariman said 90 lakh West Bengal voters were disenfranchised, an “astounding figure”.
Opposition parties called the SIR “sinister” and demanded restoration of the roughly 13 crore excluded names.

History

Historical Context

Since the Election Commission’s last intensive revision in 2003, it has periodically updated rolls, most recently launching a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar on 24 June 2025. The draft roll cut 6.5 million names to 72.4 million, citing 2.2 million dead, 3.6 million migrants and 0.7 million duplicates. The move is being challenged before the Supreme Court by a bench including Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi.

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Story summary

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan warned that disenfranchising millions violates Articles 326 and 14 of the Constitution.
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision removed about 13.3 crore voters from draft electoral rolls.
Former Supreme Court judge Rohinton F. Nariman said 90 lakh West Bengal voters were disenfranchised, an “astounding figure”.
Opposition parties called the SIR “sinister” and demanded restoration of the roughly 13 crore excluded names.

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