Why didn’t the Supreme Court stop the SIR?

Welcome to The India Fix by Shoaib Daniyal, a newsletter on Indian politics. As always, if you’ve been sent this newsletter and like it, to get it in your inbox every week, sign up here (click on “follow”).

Have feedback, interesting links or think I am wrong? Write to me: [email protected]

On Wednesday, the Indian Express published a bombshell investigation showing that two election commissioners were in revolt against the Special Intensive Revision of the voters rolls being spearheaded by the chief of the panel.

The SIR is an unprecedented reworking of India’s electoral rolls. Under the exercise, crores of Indians have been denied the right to vote. The Indian Express investigation, more than anything else, revealed one dynamic: the Special Intensive Revision was centralising the preparation of the voter rolls. The two commissioners themselves pointed out that this was illegal. Indian law is clear that rolls are created locally by an electoral registration officer.

This problem was brought to the notice of the courts several times. It is a basic function of the judiciary to review administrative acts to ensure that they are in line with existing laws. In this case, the law was in black and white – and it was clear that it was being ignored.

Why did the...

Read more