Supreme Court to hear Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc's challenge to Election Commission's SIR rulings

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for a petition filed by Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc that contests the Election Commission’s recent SIR decisions. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, will be asked to summon all internal documents of the Commission. Petitioners propose an independent audit committee, chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge and supported by technical experts, to examine deletions and modifications in the electoral-roll systems ECINET and ERONET.

They further seek a judicial review of the Commission’s compliance with Article 324 of the Constitution, the 2023 statute governing Election Commissioners, and the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling in the T N Seshan case. The outcome could shape how electoral data are managed and how the Commission’s authority is interpreted. The hearing underscores heightened scrutiny of India’s electoral machinery ahead of upcoming elections. The petition reflects broader opposition concerns about transparency and procedural fairness within the election administration.