SC backs EC’s power to conduct SIR
NEW DELHI, May 27: Delivering a major victory for the Election Commission, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld its power to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls and said the exercise “breathes life” into the constitutional mandate for fair elections.
Ruling on the intensely debated issue, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant held that deletion from the voter list does not amount to a legal declaration that an individual is not a citizen.
The bench, also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said the poll panel was empowered under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) to carry out special revisions.
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