The Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly asserted its exclusive authority over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that the decision of when and how to conduct this exercise rests solely with the commission, even above the purview of the Supreme Court. This declaration comes in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the Supreme Court's directive for the ECI to conduct periodic SIRs across all states, particularly those experiencing significant illegal migration.

In an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the ECI declared its "complete discretion" over electoral roll revisions, opposing the notion of court-mandated nationwide SIRs before elections. The ECI has cited Article 324 of the Constitution, emphasizing that this provision forms the bedrock of its plenary authority in matters of electoral roll preparation and election conduct, even where statutory law may be silent or inadequate. The Commission maintains that directing SIRs at regular intervals nationwide would encroach upon its exclusive jurisdiction.

The ECI's stance underscores its commitment to maintaining the purity and integrity of electoral rolls. To that end, it has already initiated steps for a fresh SIR, with January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date. A letter was issued on July 5, 2025, to all Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of States and Union Territories, except Bihar, to commence pre-revision activities. Furthermore, a national conference of all CEOs was convened in New Delhi on September 10, 2025, to review the progress and coordinate preparatory measures.

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a comprehensive process of voter list verification in India, crucial for ensuring accurate and fraud-free elections through thorough voter validation. It involves house-to-house enumeration to prepare new electoral rolls, with enumerators visiting each home to list eligible voters as of a qualifying date, without consulting existing rolls. This process is initiated when the ECI deems the current rolls require a complete rebuild or are erroneous, typically before significant elections or after administrative procedures like constituency delimitation.

The ECI's recent activities include the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, which has sparked political controversy. Opposition parties have alleged that the exercise was intended to disenfranchise sections of the population. The ECI has countered these claims, stating that the aim is to cleanse the voter rolls by removing the names of deceased persons, duplicates, and non-citizens. Preliminary findings from the SIR revealed a significant decrease in registered voters, from 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore.

The Supreme Court has also weighed in on the matter, directing the ECI to accept Aadhaar as a valid proof of identity for inclusion in the revised voter list of Bihar. This means that an Aadhaar card can be submitted as a standalone document for voter inclusion. However, the Court clarified that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship.

The ECI's assertion of its exclusive jurisdiction over SIR reflects its commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process. By taking proactive measures and leveraging technology, the ECI aims to ensure that electoral rolls are accurate, inclusive, and free from errors. The ECI maintains that the decision to conduct either a summary or an intensive revision of the electoral roll is entirely its own and outside the judicial ambit.