SIR successfully met both legal, constitutional mandate: CEC

Speaking at a conference the CEC also lauded election officials for what he said “carrying full transparency in preparing the electoral rolls on their strong shoulders despite adverse pressures day and night”.

Kumar said that “under the close watch of more than 15 lakh booth level agents, district and state presidents of all the national and state political parties”, the special intensive revision was being done by more than 11 lakh booth level officers, assistant electoral registration officers and electoral registration officers.

“All of them are state government employees and are on deputation to the Election Commission for preparing one of the most, and I repeat, one of the most accurate electoral roles in the world,” he said.

Explaining further Kumar said that during the special intensive revision, all citizens of India who had attained 18 years of age are being included aggressively by the electoral machinery and all those who are ineligible such as dead, duplicate, absent, shifted and foreigners are being removed. “The SIR has not only withstood the scrutiny of the highest court in India, but has also been immensely successful in meeting its constitutional and legal mandate,” he said.

The CEC's remarks come close on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling affirming that the Election Commission of India has the authority to conduct the SIR. A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi held that the poll body had not violated any statutory or constitutional provisions and observed that the SIR bears a direct nexus to ensuring free and fair elections.