Challenge, not obstruct, SIR

The Supreme Court’s intervention in the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls could not have come at a more crucial moment.

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On Tuesday, the Court took serious note of reports that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were being threatened and that the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) revision work was being obstructed in West Bengal and other states. The Bench made it clear that any instance of intimidation or administrative noncooperation must be brought before it, promising “appropriate orders” if required to protect the integrity of the process. Revision of electoral rolls is as old as elections themselves. It is a routine administrative exercise meant to include new voters who have reached the eligible age and exclude those who have passed away. But the ECI invited controversy when it designated the current exercise as a “Special Intensive Revision”.