Supreme Court questions machine-generated SIR notices to Delhi voters
The Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued a notice demanding clarification on the mass issuance of SIR notices to over 33 lakh Delhi voters, calling them potentially machine-generated.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant has taken up a petition challenging the way the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being conducted in Delhi, where more than 33 lakh voters received notices. Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the notices seem to be issued almost mechanically, possibly by a computer system, and lack detailed explanations for the "logical discrepancies" cited, such as inconsistencies in parents' names or unrealistic age differences.
The court asked the Election Commission to examine whether additional verification filters are needed and called for better sensitisation of booth-level officers to help voters address the notices. It also recommended that the poll panel publish frequently asked questions in newspapers to clarify the process. The bench noted the Election Commission's claim that there is time to correct any lapses, as no elections are scheduled soon in the capital, and scheduled a follow-up hearing in two weeks.
Why it matters
The ruling could affect millions of voters' registration status and the integrity of upcoming elections.
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