NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc 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 other petitioners include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) MP Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party (Pawar) (NCP-SCP) leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut, Congress Party of India's (CPI) D Raja, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Majhi, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML leader) E T Mohammed Basheer.
The petition challenges the legality of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out across states, alleging that genuine voters, particularly young people, migrants and marginalised communities, are being deleted on a large scale under the guise of the revision.
The petition has made the Election Commission of India, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and other Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi parties in the case.
The plea is expected to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday along with other petitions challenging the SIR exercise.
What the plea seeks
The petition seeks the production of records relating to the SIR exercise, judicial scrutiny of the decision-making process, and directions to ensure transparency and compliance with electoral laws.
Disclosure of files, minutes, notings and objections recorded by Election Commissioners on disputed SIR decisions, along with ECINET and ERONET access logs.
Production of the complete file relating to the ECI's June 24, 2025 decision to launch the SIR.
Examination of whether the decisions complied with Article 324 of the Constitution, Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, and the principles laid down in the T.N. Seshan judgment. The petition seeks quashing of decisions taken without lawful authority.
Appropriate action against those responsible for breaches, including under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
A direction that every SIR-related decision be taken collectively and duly minuted in accordance with Section 18 of the 2023 Act while the case remains pending.
A direction to ensure that the online Form 6 conforms to the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, unless the Rules are amended. - Constitution of a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to audit SIR deletions and access to electoral-roll databases, and review EVM processes against global best practices.
Booth-wise publication of deleted voters' names, along with reasons for deletion and age- and gender-wise breakdowns, as well as a functional mechanism for restoration of names.
A direction that no voter's name be deleted without notice and an opportunity of hearing. The petition also seeks to allow eligible persons in Punjab and other poll-bound States to apply for inclusion until the last date for such applications.
Suspension of the SIR exercise across all States pending adjudication of the petition.
On Monday evening, Gandhi and Kharge, accompanied by other INDIA bloc leaders, reached the Supreme Court to sign certain documents related to their petition.
Opposition MPs and leaders, accompanied by hundreds of supporters and activists, on Monday started their "March for Democracy" to the Supreme Court to submit a petition on their "vote chori" charge and against the CEC.
Those leading the march included Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Gandhi and Kharge respectively, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, CPI's D Raja, Baby and Tejashwi Yadav, besides Sule, Raut, CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and Basheer.
The development comes a day after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant declined a request made by Gandhi, and the INDIA bloc's request for a meeting with him to discuss the alleged electoral irregularities, SIR and action against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar.
The CJI's office, in an email reply sent on Sunday, told Congress leaders -- LOP Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, that he cannot meet them as the issue is sub judice and they should approach the court through a proper petition if they seek judicial intervention in the issue.
LOP in Lok Sabha Gandhi and LOP in Rajya Sabha Kharge had earlier on Saturday sought time from the CJI to meet him Monday between 4-5 pm to present a memorandum demanding an end to "vote chori", stopping SIR and demanding resignation of CEC Kumar.
Delhi witnessed heightened security over the weekend amid protests against the CEC, with restrictions on movement, the closure of 45 metro stations and intensive checks at the city's border points. Thousands of protesters, including leaders of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and former chief ministers, were detained.
The Opposition's campaign has intensified amid reports of differences within the Election Commission, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly recording objections at least 14 times over the past 10 months, including on the SIR exercise.