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Abhishek Banerjee accused the Election Commission of inaction after BJP's Debangshu Panda won the Falta repoll by over 1 lakh votes.

The Election Commission's powers in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are limited to determining eligibility for inclusion in electoral rolls and do not extend to ascertaining citizenship status, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. The top court held that the SIR exercise does not confer any exclusive or unfettered power upon the ECI to decide citizenship questions. Free and fair elections do not rest merely upon mechanics of polling, the top court said, upholding the power of the Election Commission to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls. The top court made it clear that an exclusion from a voter list does not mean that a person loses citizenship.

Top news of the day May 27, 2026: SC upholds EC's power to conduct SIR; protesters attack ED officials' vehicle outside Pinarayi Vijayan's house; and more

Supreme Court affirms Election Commission's authority for Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls to ensure free and fair elections.

The EC had started the SIR exercise with Bihar in July last year, following it up with similar exercises in nine other states, including West Bengal, and three Union Territories, from November 2025.

Congress requests the Election Commission to postpone Maharashtra's electoral roll revision, citing the Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage and potential monsoon disruptions.

The Supreme Court has upheld the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Activist Yogendra Yadav strongly criticizes the verdict. He claims the ruling BJP will now determine who can vote. Yadav alleges the court focused on grievance redressal instead of constitutional validity. He believes the decision authorizes the disenfranchisement of millions.

On Wednesday, the apex court ruled that the SIR exercise supported the constitutional requirement of free and fair elections. | India News

The Congress party has requested the Election Commission to delay the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Maharashtra. This is due to the ongoing Ashadhi Wari pilgrimage and the anticipated heavy monsoon rains. The party fears that devotees participating in the pilgrimage may be absent from their homes, leading to their names being removed from voter lists.

Opposition as well as NDA allies fear losing the opportunity to gauge rural mood ahead of the crucial Assembly elections, scheduled for early next year