Independent audit of voter deletions, suspension of SIR among key prayers in SC plea by Rahul, INDIA bloc leaders

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other leaders on Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court over alleged large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The plea has sought the constitution of an independent committee headed by a retired apex court judge, and assisted by technical experts and other citizens of eminence, to conduct within a fixed time an independent audit of deletions and modifications made during the SIR.

It also sought a direction to ensure that no elector is deleted from the electoral roll without notice and a reasonable opportunity of hearing in accordance with law, and also to ensure that eligible persons in Punjab and other states going to polls are permitted to seek inclusion in the electoral rolls until the last date permitted by law.

"Issue an interim direction suspending the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across the states of the Union, pending consideration and adjudication of the issues raised in the present petition, in the interests of protecting the rights of eligible electors and preserving the integrity of the electoral process," the plea said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC MP Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party (Pawar) (NCP-SCP) leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut and some other opposition leaders are also petitioners in the plea.

The petition has made the Election Commission of India (EC), Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and other Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi parties in the case.

“The concerns assume particular significance in view of the investigation published by The Indian Express on 23 September 2026, which reported that the two Election Commissioners had recorded objections on at least fourteen occasions over a period of ten months in relation to decisions concerning voter registration, deletion and restoration of names, and access to electoral-roll data,” it reads.

Here are the 10 prayers sought in the petition from the synopsis document:

1. Production of ECI records and files (Prayer a): Direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to place on record all files, agendas, minutes, notings and objections recorded by Election Commissioners regarding disputed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) decisions, along with ECINET/ERONET access logs and the file recording the 24 June 2025 decision to initiate the nationwide SIR.

2. Legal examination of disputed decisions (Prayer b): Examine whether the disputed SIR decisions complied with Article 324 of the Constitution, Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, and the law laid down by the Supreme Court. Quash any decisions taken without lawful authority.

3. Action against responsible officials (Prayer c): Direct the competent authorities to take appropriate action against persons responsible for breaches of constitutional or statutory provisions governing electoral rolls, including under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, wherever warranted.

4. Mandatory recording of future decisions (Prayer d): Direct the ECI, pending adjudication of the petition, to ensure that every decision relating to the SIR is taken and duly minuted in accordance with Section 18 of the 2023 Act.

5. Restoration of statutory Form 6 (Prayer e): Direct the ECI to ensure that online Form 6 conforms to the prescribed form under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, unless and until the rules are lawfully amended.

6. Independent audit and EVM review (Prayer f): Constitute an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, assisted by technical experts and eminent citizens, to conduct a time-bound audit of SIR deletions and database modifications in ECINET/ERONET, and review EVM protocols, technical architecture and deployment against global best practices.

7. Publication of booth-wise deletion details (Prayer g): Direct the relevant respondent to publish booth-wise the names of all electors deleted during the SIR, the reasons for each deletion and a demographic breakdown by age and gender. The ECI should also provide an effective mechanism for restoring the names of eligible electors.

9. Interim suspension of the nationwide SIR (Prayer i): Direct the suspension of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision across all states pending adjudication of the petition.

10. Consequential and general relief (Prayer j): Pass any other or further orders deemed fit and proper to protect electoral integrity and the right of every eligible citizen to vote.

Earlier, the CJI had declined the request for a meeting by Kharge and Gandhi who sought to submit a memorandum on issues concerning the CEC, EC, the alleged arbitrary arrest of several students, closure of Metro stations and cancellation of trains.

Convening a meeting on issues which are sub judice before the apex court would contravene the principle of separation of powers and is "incompatible with established ethics and judicial propriety", the CJI wrote to Gandhi and Kharge.

"You have my assurance that any such petition shall be heard at the earliest possible opportunity, in accordance with the law," the CJI added in his letter.

(With agency inputs)