The Supreme Court refused to hear a PIL seeking a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Assam, saying the final voter list has already been published. The Court observed that “Nothing survives now” as the revision process has been completed
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought directions to the Election Commission of India to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Assam ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submission made on behalf of the poll panel that the final electoral rolls for Assam had already been published on February 10. In view of this development, the Court observed that the petition had become infructuous.
The PIL was filed by Mrinal Kumar Choudhary, who challenged the Election Commission’s decision to conduct only a standard Special Revision in Assam instead of a more detailed and rigorous Special Intensive Revision, similar to the one conducted in Bihar in June 2025.
The petitioner argued that given Assam’s unique demographic and legal background, a more thorough verification process was necessary to maintain the integrity and purity of the electoral rolls.
Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria, appearing for the petitioner, submitted before the Court that Assam required an intensive revision exercise to ensure that the voter list was accurate and free from discrepancies.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate D S Naidu, representing the Election Commission, informed the Bench that the final electoral roll had already been prepared and officially published.
Taking note of this submission, the Chief Justice stated, “Nothing survives now,” indicating that since the revision process had already been completed and the final list notified, there was no relief that could be granted at this stage.
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The Bench also highlighted the sensitive nature of issues concerning electoral rolls and citizenship status in Assam. The Court clarified that under the existing legal and statutory framework, the Election Commission does not have the power to arbitrarily declare individuals as foreigners. Such determinations are governed by statutory cut-off dates and are handled by specialised tribunals constituted under the relevant laws.
Addressing the petitioner’s concerns, the Chief Justice cautioned, “You have to be very sensitive and careful,” underlining the need for caution while raising issues that may impact individuals’ citizenship status and voting rights.
The PIL had sought to quash the Election Commission’s memo dated November 17, 2025, which directed a Special Revision instead of a Special Intensive Revision in Assam. The petitioner also prayed for a direction to conduct the SIR on the same parameters adopted in Bihar, arguing that similar standards should be followed in Assam before the 2026 Assembly elections. Additionally, the plea sought exclusion of Aadhaar as a valid document for inclusion in the electoral rolls.
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After completion of the Special Revision exercise, data released by the Chief Electoral Officer revealed that the total number of voters in Assam has decreased by 2.43 lakh. The reduction in voter count has added further political attention to the revision process, especially with elections approaching.
With the Court declining to intervene and recording that the matter had become infructuous, the electoral roll prepared by the Election Commission will now form the basis for the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam.
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