Rahul Gandhi, 10 INDIA bloc leaders petition SC against ECI's SIR electoral roll revision
Synopsis
Eleven INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have taken their fight against the ECI's Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls to the Supreme Court, alleging mass voter deletions and demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The petition — filed hours after CJI Surya Kant advised a formal legal route — sets up a potentially landmark judicial contest over electoral fairness ahead of upcoming state polls.
Key Takeaways
Rahul Gandhi and 10 INDIA bloc leaders filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court on 12 October 2026 challenging the ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The petition, diary number 64196/2026 , names CEC Gyanesh Kumar , Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu , and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi as respondents.
Petitioners allege large-scale voter deletions and irregularities threatening electoral fairness.
CJI Surya Kant had earlier advised Opposition leaders to approach the Supreme Court through a formal petition after they sought a direct appointment.
The BJP dismissed the petition as 'baseless,' saying the Supreme Court had already ruled on SIR's constitutionality.
The case is currently pending before the apex court.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and 10 other INDIA bloc leaders moved the Supreme Court on Monday, 12 October 2026, challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large-scale voter deletions and serious irregularities in the process. The writ petition, filed under diary number 64196/2026, names the ECI and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar among the respondents and is currently pending before the apex court.
Who Filed the Petition
The petition lists Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) leader M.A. Baby, CPI leader D. Raja, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Mahua Majhi, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E.T. Mohammed Basheer as petitioners. The respondents include the ECI, CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi.
What the Opposition Alleges
INDIA bloc leaders allege that the SIR exercise threatens electoral fairness and could result in the exclusion of eligible voters from rolls. Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Gandhi said he and Kharge had written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant expressing concern over electoral fairness and what they described as an 'attack on democracy.' Gandhi added that CJI Surya Kant had advised the Opposition to approach the Supreme Court through a formal petition after they sought a direct appointment to raise their concerns.
Notably, Opposition leaders also undertook a protest march towards the Supreme Court, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the alleged irregularities. This escalation marks the sharpest confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the poll body since the alliance was formed ahead of the 2024 general elections.
BJP Hits Back
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp counter-offensive, dismissing the petition as a political spectacle. BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan said: 'This is baseless... They are lying. The Supreme Court has already ruled on the constitutionality of SIR.' Paswan further alleged that the Congress has been losing elections across the country — including those conducted using ballot papers — citing local elections in Silchar in Assam, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh to buttress his argument. The BJP's framing positions the legal challenge as sour-grapes politics rather than a genuine electoral integrity concern.
Context and What Comes Next
The SIR exercise, conducted by the ECI, is a periodic revision of voter rolls aimed at updating registrations, removing deceased voters, and adding newly eligible ones. Critics argue that, when conducted rapidly or without adequate safeguards, such exercises risk disenfranchising legitimate voters — particularly migrants, the urban poor, and marginalised communities. The Supreme Court's response to the petition — whether to admit it, seek an ECI response, or dismiss it — will be closely watched, as it could have a bearing on upcoming state assembly elections. The case is currently listed as pending on the apex court's website.
Point of View
The petition risks appearing more agitational than adversarial. The real test will come when the court decides whether to admit the petition and ask the ECI to respond, which would itself amount to judicial acknowledgement that the concerns are not frivolous.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the INDIA bloc's Supreme Court petition against SIR about?
The petition, filed on 12 October 2026, challenges the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large-scale voter deletions and irregularities that could disenfranchise eligible voters. It names CEC Gyanesh Kumar and two other election commissioners as respondents.
Who are the petitioners in the Supreme Court case?
There are 11 petitioners: Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Saugata Roy (TMC), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (RJD), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena UBT), M.A. Baby (CPI-M), D. Raja (CPI), Mahua Majhi (JMM), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), and E.T. Mohammed Basheer (IUML).
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update voter rolls — removing deceased voters, adding newly eligible citizens, and correcting entries. Critics argue that rapid or inadequately supervised revisions risk deleting legitimate voters, particularly migrants and marginalised groups.
Why did the Opposition approach the Supreme Court instead of the ECI directly?
According to Rahul Gandhi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant advised the Opposition to approach the Supreme Court through a formal petition when they sought a direct appointment to raise their concerns. The leaders subsequently filed the writ petition on 12 October 2026.
What has the BJP said about the petition?
BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan dismissed the petition as 'baseless,' stating that the Supreme Court had already ruled on the constitutional validity of the SIR exercise. He also alleged that the Congress has been losing elections across India, including those held using ballot papers.
