Supreme Court Holds ECI Not at Fault for Statewide SIR in Bihar: Legal Context, Arguments, and Constitutional Framework
Introduction: ECI Not at Fault if SIR Aim Same Across Bihar Seats The Supreme Court has clarified that the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot be blamed for conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the entire state of Bihar if the reasons for initiating the exercise are uniform across all constituencies . This observation came while hearing multiple petitions questioning the legality and constitutionality of the SIR process being implemented in Bihar. Understanding the SIR Exercise: Not a Routine Revision The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that this is not a routine annual updation of electoral rolls , but a special revision permitted under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (ROPA). The Court stated that any process conducted by the ECI that is fair and transparent cannot be interfered with unless it is shown that the ECI lacks the legal authority to do so. Petitioners' Key Argument: SIR as an Unconst...