"Draft SIR Voter Rolls Show Mass Deletions, Raising Disenfranchisement Concerns"
Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
A comprehensive door-to-door verification of electoral rolls ordered by the ECI under Section 21 of the RPA, 1950.
Booth Level Officer (BLO)
A local official responsible for physically verifying voter entries and collecting fresh applications during an SIR.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body established under Article 324 of the Constitution. It has the power to superintend, direct, and control the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Parliament and State Legislatures. The right to vote flows from Article 326, which guarantees adult suffrage to every citizen aged 18 or above who is ordinarily resident in a constituency.
Electoral rolls are governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Section 21 of the RPA, 1950 empowers the ECI to order an intensive revision of rolls at any time. The Representation of the People Act, 1951 separately defines corrupt practices under Section 123, including undue influence, any act that interferes with the free exercise of electoral rights. Systematic wrongful deletion of eligible voters from rolls, if deliberate, raises the question of whether such acts could constitute a structural form of interference with electoral rights, even if not captured by the current legal definition of undue influence.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive, door-to-door verification exercise. It is distinct from the routine Summary Revision conducted annually. During an SIR, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) physically verify existing entries and collect fresh applications. Draft rolls are published for public inspection, allowing citizens and political parties to file claims and objections before the final roll is published. Recognised political parties may appoint Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to participate in the process, providing a layer of multi-party oversight.
The SIR process has three main phases: enumeration by BLOs, publication of draft rolls, and a claims-and-objections period before the final roll is notified. Voters can be deleted on grounds such as death, shifting of residence, or duplication. The categories of deletion, particularly "absent" and "shifted", are defined by local electoral officials and have no standardised operating procedure under the current rules. This creates scope for arbitrary application.
The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are the nodal officials responsible for maintaining rolls in each constituency. They are assisted by Assistant EROs and BLOs. Appeals against wrongful deletion can be filed before the ERO, and further appeals lie before the Chief Electoral Officer of the state and ultimately before courts. …
Discuss the 'corrupt practices' for the purpose of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Analyse whether the increase in the assets of the legislators and/or their associates, disproportionate to their known sources of income, would constitute 'undue influence' and consequently a corrupt practice.
For election to the Lok Sabha, a nomination paper can be filed by
Which of the following correctly matches the constitutional provision with its content relevant to electoral rolls?
Consider the following statements regarding the electoral roll framework in India:
1.The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 govern the procedural framework for maintaining and revising electoral rolls.
2.An Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is the nodal official in each constituency responsible for deciding on claims and objections to the electoral roll.
3.The Representation of the People Act, 1950 defines 'corrupt practices' including undue influence in elections.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in India, consider the following statements:
1.The Election Commission of India derives its power to order an intensive revision of electoral rolls from Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
2.During an SIR, Booth Level Agents appointed by recognised political parties can participate in the verification process.
3.Voters deleted from the electoral roll before the SIR officially begins receive an enumeration form and are covered by the formal claims-and-objections mechanism.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which of the following is/are classified as 'corrupt practices' under Section 123?
1.Bribery of voters
2.Undue influence interfering with the free exercise of electoral rights
3.Appeal on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language
4.Wrongful deletion of names from the electoral roll by a Booth Level Officer
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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