SC defers hearing to Jan 13 on pleas challenging EC’s special intensive revision of electoral rolls

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred to January 13 the final hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission’s decision to undertake the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in several states, including Bihar.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which had fixed the pleas for hearing during the day, said it will resume the proceedings on Tuesday. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the poll panel, was to resume advancing his arguments in the case.

On January 6, the Election Commission had told the bench that it has the power and competence to undertake Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, besides there is a constitutional duty to ensure that no foreigners are registered as voters.

The pleas challenge the EC's decision to undertake the SIR exercise in several states, including Bihar, have raised significant constitutional questions on the scope of the poll panel's powers, citizenship and the right to vote.