Phase 3 of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun the third phase of its controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This phase spans 16 States and three Union Territories with a combined electorate of 36.73 crore. The move follows a Phase 2 where a net trim of 10.2% in the rolls sparked concerns over disenfranchisement, especially in West Bengal.

Key Developments in Phase 3

Coverage of 16 States and 3 UTs, targeting 36.73 crore voters.
Learning from Phase 2: no indication that the ECI will alter its methodology.
Supreme Court directives: acceptance of additional identity documents and deployment of judicial officers for oversight.
Political parties and civil society urged to sensitize voters for proper enumeration.

Important Facts and Issues

The SIR has been criticised for several systemic flaws:

Centralised data handling in Delhi rather than delegating authority to state‑level Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
Parallel booth rationalisation with enumeration, making it difficult for electors to verify their inclusion.
Software glitches that removed entire duplicate name sets instead of excess entries, leading to disproportionate deletions of marginalised and minority voters.
Gender‑ratio declines in almost every state, except Tamil Nadu, indicating higher removal of female voters.
Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act remains unsettled, shifting proof of eligibility onto voters.

UPSC Relevance

Understanding the SIR exercise is vital for GS 2 (Polity) as it highlights challenges in electoral administration, federal‑state coordination, and the safeguarding of the constitutional principle of universal adult franchise. The episode also underscores the role of the judiciary in electoral oversight, a recurring theme in recent UPSC questions.

Way Forward

To prevent repeat disenfranchisement, the following steps are recommended:

Empower state EROs with decision‑making authority and transparent audit mechanisms.
Separate enumeration from booth rationalisation to allow clear verification of deletions.
Adopt robust, error‑free software with safeguards against bulk deletions.
Ensure the burden of proof remains with the ECI, not the voter, in line with the spirit of universal adult franchise.
Facilitate active participation of political parties, NGOs, and media to educate voters about the enumeration process.

Only by addressing these structural issues can the ECI uphold the integrity of the electoral roll ahead of the upcoming elections.

Phase 3 of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls

Key Developments in Phase 3

Important Facts and Issues

UPSC Relevance

Way Forward

Phase 3 of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls

Key Developments in Phase 3