Electoral Rolls, Process And Article 326
- IJLLR Journal
- Aug 7
- 2 min read
Sufiyan Abbasi, Aryan Uchadia & Chirayu Sharma, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune
ABSTRACT
A representative democracy is built on the integrity of election records. Only until electoral records fairly represent the eligible voting population can India's constitutional provision of adult suffrage under Article 326 have any significance. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a thorough verification process designed to remove duplicate, deceased, shifted, or otherwise ineligible entries while facilitating the inclusion of eligible citizens, is one of the periodic electoral roll revisions carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in order to preserve this integrity. Significant constitutional and political discussion on striking a compromise between electoral integrity and the constitutional principle of universal adult suffrage has been sparked by the recent implementation of the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar.
The need for documentary evidence, the exclusion of Aadhaar and Ration Cards as proof of citizenship, and claims that strict verification requirements may disproportionately affect migrant workers, economically disadvantaged groups, and other vulnerable groups have been the main points of contention. The Election Commission has simultaneously defended the exercise as a legitimate statutory duty carried out to maintain the integrity of electoral rolls and guarantee that only persons eligible under Article 326 continue to be enrolled.
The constitutional, statutory, and judicial framework controlling electoral roll updating in India is examined critically in this essay. It looks at how the Representation of the People Act of 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules of 1960, and Articles 324, 325, and 326 of the Constitution relate to each other. By analyzing current events, court rulings, and conflicting constitutional principles, the article assesses the Special Intensive Revision's constitutionality in more detail. It contends that accessibility, transparency, and procedural safeguards must continue to be crucial in order to prevent administrative verification from unintentionally impeding the constitutional promise of universal adult suffrage, even though periodic revision of electoral rolls is essential for preserving electoral integrity.
Keywords: Electoral Rolls, Special Intensive Revision, Article 326, Adult Suffrage, Election Commission of India, Representation of the People Act, Bihar Elections, Citizenship, Electoral Integrity.
