The revelations emerging from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across states, particularly West Bengal, are disturbing. Of the 82,782 appeals disposed of by SIR tribunals, more than 91 per cent reportedly resulted in the restoration of names excluded from the electoral rolls. Reports that some voters had their names restored only after elections were over suggest that eligible citizens may have been denied their right to vote when it mattered most, potentially affecting electoral outcomes. Unlike colonial rule, independent India recognised citizens as the sovereign people, capable of changing governments through elections. This principle remains central to our democracy. An Indian citizen does not acquire political existence merely because an official can locate their name in a chain of documents. Rather, electoral administration derives its legitimacy from its constitutional duty to enable every eligible citizen to exercise their political rights. The significance of elections lies in the principles of equality and popular sovereignty. SIR is not merely about possible electoral advantages to political parties; it concerns the very foundation of democratic authority. Safeguarding every eligible citizen’s voting rights must remain paramount.
DIOMEDES PEREIRA, Corlim
