New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Election Commission (EC) concerning a petition that calls for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Assam ahead of the state’s 2026 Assembly elections.
The plea was filed by Mrinal Kumar Choudhury, former president of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association, challenging the EC’s decision to conduct only a Special Revision in Assam instead of the more stringent SIR. The petitioner argued that Assam, with its history of large-scale illegal immigration, requires stricter verification measures for voter registration.
During the hearing, senior counsel Vijay Hansaria, representing Choudhury, questioned why Assam had been excluded from the SIR exercise. “The EC had earlier indicated a pan-India SIR. Why is Assam being singled out? No documents are required from voters here,” Hansaria told a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
The Court agreed to hear the matter further next Tuesday but did not grant a stay on the ongoing voter roll revision in Assam, stating that the EC should first present its position.
The Election Commission had announced the second phase of the SIR in 12 states and Union territories—including Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal—between November 2025 and February 2026. Assam, however, was left out and is undergoing a less rigorous Special Revision, which does not require voters to provide documents proving age, citizenship, or residence.
Hansaria emphasized that, given Assam’s unique demographic challenges, the state warranted the SIR process to ensure the integrity of its electoral rolls. He also referenced the Supreme Court’s recent judgment in ‘In Re: Section 6A of the Citizenship Act’, which highlighted infiltration issues in Assam.
Chief Justice Kant noted that Assam’s special legal frameworks, including foreigners’ tribunals, may influence the EC’s approach, but Hansaria argued that no official explanation had been recorded.
The Court’s notice signals a closer examination of the EC’s decision-making in Assam, as legal and political observers await clarity on the voter verification process for the upcoming elections.
