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The political battle over the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise escalated sharply after the Supreme Court upheld the poll body's authority to conduct the voter roll revision. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a fierce attack on the Congress and the INDIA alliance, accusing them of opposing the exercise for political reasons and alleging that the opposition was shielding illegal infiltrators. Welcoming the verdict, Trivedi said the Supreme Court had validated the BJP's long-standing position on electoral transparency, migration-related discrepancies and voter roll verification. He also targeted Rahul Gandhi directly, questioning the Congress party's organisational commitment, governance record and stand on social and national issues.

The Supreme Court has upheld the Election Commission of India's decision to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, which initiated in Bihar. The Court has termed SIR as legitimate and constitutional exercise.

NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday slammed the Supreme Court judgment on SIR for not mentioning a clutch of "major flaws and contradictions" in EC's process that, it said, has "deprived crores of citizens" of voting rights. It said the judicial challenge by political parties and civil society pertained to flaws on part of EC's conduct, and not about legal validity of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In its much-awaited ruling on the legality of the SIR, the Supreme Court held that the Election Commission's exercise was consistent with both the law and the Constitution.

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.