'When All Fails, Democracy Looks at The Judiciary,' Opposition to CJI on SIR

23 parties and an independent MP wrote to the CJI Kant, raising concerns over Election Commission’s SIR process.

Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

On 30 June 2026, twenty-three opposition parties and an independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, sent a joint letter to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The letter raised concerns about the conduct of the Election Commission of India, specifically regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged manipulation of election outcomes. The signatories included leaders from Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and others.

According to Deccan Herald, the letter appealed to the “conscience of the judiciary” and cited examples from various states where the SIR process and election machinery were allegedly used against opposition parties. The initiative was bolstered by the participation of DMK and AAP, both of which had previously distanced themselves from the INDIA bloc.

As reported by The Indian Express, the four-page letter focused on the alleged misuse of the SIR process by the Election Commission to favour the ruling party. The opposition parties requested judicial intervention, stating, “When all fails, Indian democracy looks at the Judiciary.” The letter included specific instances from different states and also addressed other election-related malpractices.

As highlighted by Amar Ujala, the SIR process was initiated by the Election Commission nearly a year ago to verify voter lists and ensure their accuracy. The process has led to the removal of approximately six crore names from electoral rolls nationwide, with 65 lakh names deleted in Bihar alone. Opposition leaders have argued that this exercise undermines democracy, while the government maintains it is aimed at removing ineligible voters.

In the letter, the opposition parties reaffirmed their commitment to “SURE”—Solidarity, Unity, and Resistance. Statements from party leaders indicated that the decision to send the letter was made during the INDIA bloc meeting on 8 June 2026, attended by 21 parties and one independent MP. The letter was subsequently signed by 23 parties and one independent member.

“We have appealed to the Judiciary to intervene because when all fails, Indian democracy looks at the Judiciary. Our letter includes specific examples from different states on how the SIR was being misused,” a source was quoted as saying.

Coverage revealed that the inclusion of DMK and AAP as signatories is significant, given their recent departure from the Congress-led alliance. Despite this, both parties joined the letter to the CJI, signalling unity on issues concerning electoral integrity.

In the context of the SIR process, analysis showed that the exercise involves house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), with concerns raised by political parties about the potential for eligible voters to be excluded. The Congress party has established monitoring committees to oversee the process and prevent wrongful deletions.

Allegations of irregularities have also surfaced at the local level. In Telangana, residents reported difficulties in obtaining SIR enumeration forms, with some claiming that Booth Level Officers were not distributing forms as required. The Chief Electoral Officer of Telangana stated that over 1.73 crore forms had been distributed in four days and warned that violations by BLOs would result in strict action.

“People are asking me to handover 5-6 enumeration forms. I can’t do that,” a Booth Level Officer in Amberpet was quoted as saying, highlighting operational challenges in the SIR process.

At the national level, further details emerged that the letter was signed by prominent leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and others. The letter also referenced the need for continued opposition unity and called for additional meetings to address ongoing electoral concerns.

In summary, reporting indicated that the Supreme Court has upheld the Election Commission’s authority to conduct the SIR process, dismissing objections to the revision of voter rolls. The opposition’s letter, however, underscores persistent apprehensions about the impartiality and transparency of the electoral process.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.