Can't copy-paste old voter lists for SIR: Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court connected Thursday said SIR of electoral rolls, being carried retired aft much than 2 decades, cannot beryllium a copy-paste of earlier elector lists and, logically, the elector enumeration by the Election Commission would see an inquisitorial process to ascertain, not determine, citizenship.Senior advocator Raju Ramachandran, appearing for a petitioner challenging the validity of SIR process, said elector enumeration workout cannot statesman with distrust connected portion of EC to trial citizenship of each voter, particularly erstwhile the statutory task to find citizenship, upon receipt of a ailment astir a foreigner, is vested with different authorities.A seat of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, "EC is constitutionally vested with the powerfulness of superintendence of elections, which would see ensuring that lone Indian citizens are registered arsenic voters.

Would it mean that EC indispensable await a complaint, oregon undertake an inquisitorial workout to find who are doubtful voters? It is amended to behaviour a summary enquiry alternatively than await a complaint."Ramachandran said the SIR for Bihar, according to EC, was necessitated for 2 reasons - wide migration and accelerated urbanisation. "Reason for Bihar SIR cannot beryllium crushed for conducting pan-India SIR arsenic antithetic states person antithetic demography and crushed concern relating to electoral rolls," helium said, adding EC failed to supply elaborate reasons for conducting specified an exercise.

This was the 2nd clip erstwhile SC had justified updation of canvass rolls done SIR. The seat said successful the June 24 notification, giving the 2 reasons for conducting SIR, gives retired an volition to transportation retired pan-India SIR with Bihar arsenic the starting point. "Migration encompasses some inter-state and cross-border question of colonisation chiefly for economical reasons. For immoderate radical crossed the border, Indian cities are economically much viable.

While from India, talented radical are migrating to different countries. For citing migration arsenic a crushed for SIR, nary statistic oregon probe is required," it said.Ramachandran said that states similar Chhattisgarh and MP, which are going to polls successful 2028, are included successful SIR exercise, portion different states wherever elections are owed successful aboriginal person been excluded. "Whole process is arbitrary," helium added. The arguments would proceed connected Tuesday.