Supreme Court upholds SIR exercise as an advancement towards free and fair elections - The Hindu

• The Supreme Court of India validated the Election Commission's (EC) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Bihar electoral rolls. • A bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi rejected opposition claims that the exercise was arbitrary or exclusionary.

• The Supreme Court of India ruled on Wednesday that the Special Summary Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission supports the constitutional requirement for free and fair elections. • Petitioner Yogendra Yadav criticized the verdict, claiming that such powers could allow the BJP to decide who is eligible to vote.

• The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional and legal validity of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. • The ruling follows extensive court arguments where the judiciary decided in favor of the Election Commission on all major issues raised.

• The Supreme Court of India ruled that the Election Commission's (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is constitutional and falls within the poll body's legal powers. • The court determined that the SIR does not conflict with the Representation of the People (RP) Act or the 1960 EC Rules, citing Section 21(3) of the RP Act and Article 324 of the Constitution as the legal basis.

• The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday to uphold the Election Commission's authority to carry out the S.I.R. exercise. • This judicial decision serves as a significant legal setback for opposition parties who had challenged the commission's power.

• The BJP has criticized the INDIA bloc, calling for "self-introspection" after the Supreme Court upheld the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. • BJP spokesperson Trivedi stated that the apex court clarified the SIR is essential for ensuring free and fair elections and falls within the Election Commission's constitutional jurisdiction.

• Political activist Yogendra Yadav explained his decision to skip the Supreme Court hearing regarding the Special Institutional Revision (SIR) of voter lists. • Yadav argues that the court's decision was a foregone conclusion, asserting that the judiciary effectively gave the Election Commission of India (ECI) a "carte blanche" to manage voter lists without sufficient oversight.

• The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the Election Commission of India (ECI) did not exceed its statutory powers while conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. • The court rejected arguments that the SIR was "ultra vires," stating that the process is legal even if it differs from the ordinary revision procedure.

• The Congress party criticized a Supreme Court judgment on Wednesday that cleared the Election Commission (EC) regarding the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. • Congress alleges the ruling ignored "major flaws and contradictions" in the EC's process, which they claim has deprived millions of citizens of their right to vote.

• The Supreme Court, in a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, upheld the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for voter rolls. • The court ruled that the SIR is constitutional and cannot be termed "ultra vires" or illegal simply because it employs a process distinct from routine statutory voter revisions.

• The Supreme Court, led by CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, upheld the legality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. • The ruling follows a batch of petitions that challenged the validity of the SIR exercise across various Indian states.