High Court Directs ECI on SIR Process

The Telangana High Court has sought an explanation from the Election Commission of India on the basis being followed to issue notices to voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The court asked the ECI to explain the criteria used to identify discrepancies in enumeration forms and how automated data-matching platforms such as ECINet and ERONet are being used for scrutiny and correction.

A division bench of Justice P. Sam Koshy and Justice Narsing Rao Nandikonda heard a petition filed by S.Q. Masood challenging aspects of the SIR process. The petitioner’s counsel argued that notices were being issued based on automated data matching without adequate verification of physical records. The ECI’s counsel, however, submitted that the notice in the petitioner’s case was issued due to a discrepancy in his father’s name between the current and previous electoral rolls. The court directed the ECI to provide details of the action taken after the petitioner responded to the notice and explain the procedure followed for issuing such notices. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 13.