During the heated Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing, CJI Surya Kant dismissed Kapil Sibal’s warning about possible law and order issues and allowed phased publication of voter rolls. The Supreme Court also rejected objections raised by Abhishek Manu Singhvi and backed the Election Commission.
The Supreme Court witnessed an unusual scene as lawyers and litigants crowded the CJI’s courtroom to watch West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee personally present arguments in the SIR case.
The hearing on the electoral roll revision issue drew wide attention and has been adjourned for further proceedings.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee may attend the Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday in cases challenging the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The petitions allege arbitrariness and warn that the exercise could lead to mass voter disenfranchisement.
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a PIL challenging NBEMS’s decision to lower NEET-PG 2025 cut-off marks for SC/ST/OBC candidates, including allowing counselling at minus 40 marks. The Court noted that the issue is a policy decision, already rejected by the Delhi High Court and pending before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing on ADR’s plea challenging Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, amid concerns over voter exclusion and fairness. The Election Commission defended the exercise, arguing that Article 326 and election laws fully empower it to revise rolls to protect electoral integrity.
The Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court that US court judgments cannot be blindly relied upon, questioning due process in recent American actions cited by petitioners. Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi argued that India’s constitutional framework on electoral roll revision cannot be compared with US practices while defending the SIR exercise.
The Supreme Court resumed hearing ADR-led petitions challenging the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, focusing on the limits of the Election Commission’s powers. The Bench examined whether the SIR process violates constitutional principles of manifest arbitrariness and voter rights.