SC issues notice on Rahul Gandhi, INDIA bloc's plea against ECI's SIR

The Supreme Court issued a notice on a plea by Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders challenging the ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The bench sought a response from the ECI and its top officials on the petition.

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice on a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and nine other INDIA bloc leaders challenging the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi orally remarked while issuing notice, “We would also ask one of the petitioners about his conduct.” The bench sought response from ECI, CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on Gandhi and others' plea.

The petition follows an Opposition march towards the Supreme Court on October 12, led by Gandhi, against the SIR exercise. Although Gandhi had planned to submit the plea himself, it was ultimately filed through lawyers as the Registry was nearing closure.

Key Petitioners in the Plea

The petitioners include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader MA Baby, Communist Party of India leader D Raja, Mahua Majhi of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Mohammed Basheer, Viduthalai Chirutbaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan, and former Jammu and Kashmir minister Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo.

Demands Raised in the Petition

The plea challenged the legality of the SIR exercise and sought disclosure of the Election Commission’s records, publication of details of deleted voters, safeguards against arbitrary deletions and a mechanism for restoring names. It also sought a judicial audit of the revision process and suspension of the exercise across States pending adjudication.

The apex court also issued notice on separate pleas concerning the SIR filed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

The Opposition leaders had earlier sought an appointment with the CJI to raise concerns over the SIR process and demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation; the CJI, however, declined the request, noting that the issues were already pending before the Court and that the leaders could seek relief through judicial proceedings. (ANI)

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