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The Supreme Court has sought the Election Commission's response on a plea filed by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) founder Vaiko, challenging the decision to undertake the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Tamil Nadu.
A bench of newly appointed Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi has posted the matter for hearing on December 2. Several other parties, including the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), have also moved to the apex court against the SIR exercise in the state. DMK's plea was mentioned before a bench headed by former CJI BR Gavai. The apex court said it will list the case for hearing. RS Bharathi, Organising Secretary, had approached the apex court challenging the constitutional validity of the SIR of the electoral roll and seeking quashing of the October 27 notification of the ECI, which extended the SIR to Tamil Nadu based on earlier guidelines issued on June 24. It challenged the ECI's orders dated June 24 and October 27, which directed the conduct of SIR. The SIR and the ECI's orders, if not set aside, can arbitrarily and without due process disenfranchise lakhs of voters from electing their representatives, thereby disrupting free and fair elections and democracy in the country, which are part of the basic structure of the Constitution, said the petition. TVK's plea filed through Advocates Dixita Gohil, Pranjal Agarwal, Shikhar Aggarwal, and Yash S. Vijay has also sought quashing of the poll body's notification. The plea states that SIR constitutes a gross violation of constitutional protections under Articles 14, 19, 21, 325, and 326 and is contrary to statutory provisions under Sections 21 and 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (ROPA). Additionally, the plea contends that SIR amounts to a de novo (afresh) preparation of electoral rolls without any recorded reasons or justification, violating the statutory requirement under ROPA. The SIR process, the plea contends, violates the right of continuity of electors on rolls by allowing deletion of names without notice or hearing. Thus, it contravenes Supreme Court precedents and statutory safeguards under Rule 21A of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the plea states. ECI announced last month the second phase of SIR of electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026. The first phase was completed in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. The exercise covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. (ANI)
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