The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has triggered a fresh political and constitutional dispute. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, arguing that determining citizenship is not the Election Commission’s mandate. Ramesh cited former Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and questioned the changes linked to Form 6 for new voters.
The Election Commission, however, maintains that SIR-related decisions were unanimously approved by all three Election Commissioners and has defended its position on Form 6. The controversy comes alongside reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding SIR-related decisions.
The ECI has said that highlighting these objections does not reflect the larger body of decisions it says were unanimously approved. So, what exactly are the Election Commission’s powers? Can electoral-roll verification involve questions of citizenship? And what do the reported differences within the three-member poll panel mean?