The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asserted its exclusive authority regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that it possesses complete discretion over the policy of revision to the exclusion of any other authority. In a counter-affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, the ECI emphasized that directing it to conduct SIR at regular intervals would encroach upon its exclusive jurisdiction.

The ECI's submission highlights its constitutional and statutory powers to oversee the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. It maintains that the decision to conduct either an intensive or summary revision rests solely with the ECI, depending on the prevailing circumstances. The ECI cited powers under Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests it with the superintendence, direction, and control of elections and electoral rolls.

The Commission has already initiated measures for a nationwide SIR, with January 1, 2026, set as the qualifying date. On July 5, 2025, the ECI instructed all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of states and Union Territories (except Bihar) to begin pre-revision activities. To further strengthen and coordinate these efforts, the ECI convened a conference of all CEOs in New Delhi on September 10.

The Supreme Court on September 8, 2025, allowed Aadhaar cards to be used as identity proof during the SIR in Bihar, while clarifying that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship. The Bihar SIR, the first since 2003, has faced some controversy, with allegations of disenfranchisement motives. The ECI has defended the exercise as a clean-up effort to remove deceased persons, duplicates, and non-citizens from voter lists. The final electoral roll for Bihar will be published on September 30, 2025. During the draft electoral rolls in Bihar, 65 lakh voters were removed, including 22.34 lakh deceased, 36.28 lakh permanently shifted or absent, and 7.01 lakh voters enrolled in more than one place.

The ECI's assertion of its authority comes in response to a plea seeking a court order to direct the poll body to carry out nationwide special intensive revisions of voter rolls ahead of elections to identify and remove undocumented migrants from the electoral lists. The ECI maintains that any court order mandating nationwide revisions at fixed intervals would be an encroachment on its powers.