What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

Trap 1: Confusing the SIR process with the regular summary revision of electoral rolls. Trap 2: Asking which state had the LOWEST deletion rate (Bihar at ~6%) instead of the highest. Trap 3: Linking the process to a specific Act (like RPA 1951) when the core issue is constitutional validity.

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: Highest voter deletion rate (13.4% in Gujarat) during SIR process. 2. Target this Nodal Body: Election Commission of India (ECI) - constitutional authority under Article 324. 3. Target this Legal Point: Supreme Court's potential ruling on the constitutionality of the SIR process.

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News 6 of 23

Special Intensive Revision Process: SC Urged to Rule on Constitutionality as Deletion Rates Hit 13.4% in Gujarat

Q: Under which Article of the Constitution is the Election Commission of India (ECI) established?

Article 324, The Election Commission of India, the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections mentioned in the article, is established under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution. This is a fundamental static GK fact for Polity.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process discussed in the news: 1. It is a process conducted by the Election Commission of India for cleaning electoral rolls. 2. The process led to higher voter deletions in Bihar compared to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. 3. The Supreme Court has sought assistance from judicial officers of neighboring states for legal verification in West Bengal due to implementation issues. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Both 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct as the SIR is indeed an ECI process for electoral roll revision. Statement 2 is incorrect; deletions were higher in Tamil Nadu (11.5%) and Gujarat (13.4%) than in Bihar (~6%). Statement 3 is correct as mentioned in the article regarding the situation in West Bengal.

Q: According to the article, what was the approximate percentage of net voter deletions from the electoral rolls in Gujarat during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process?

13.4%, The article explicitly states that the net number of voters removed in Gujarat was 13.4%. The other figures correspond to Tamil Nadu (11.5%), Chhattisgarh (11.8%), and Bihar (6%).

Q: What is identified as a key structural defect of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process as per the news analysis?

It depends on an enumeration that shifts the burden onto electors to prove their eligibility., The article criticizes the SIR process for shifting the burden of proof onto voters instead of adopting a more robust household-by-household count conducted by the authorities. This is highlighted as a structural defect disadvantaging migrants and others.

PolityHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link

24 Feb 2026

~2 min

Source: The Hindu

Key Data:13.4% Gujarat deletions11.5% Tamil Nadu deletions11.8% Chhattisgarh deletions6% Bihar deletionsCensus 2011

Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaElection Commission of India

Practice MCQs from today's news ▸

~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.The Supreme Court faces calls to decide on the constitutionality of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for electoral rolls.

2.Voter deletions in states like Gujarat (13.4%) and Tamil Nadu (11.5%) remain high, with a disproportionate impact on female electors and migrant voters.

3.The core issue is whether the SIR's structural defects, shifting the burden of proof onto voters, undermines the principle of universal adult franchise.

The Big Picture

Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court is being urged to rule on the constitutionality of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, which has seen high voter deletions, disproportionately affecting women and migrants. The process's reliance on self-verification and lack of a recent Census for comparison raise concerns about its impact on universal adult franchise.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

SIR Voter Deletion - Gujarat13.4%

SIR Voter Deletion - Tamil Nadu11.5%

SIR Voter Deletion - Chhattisgarh11.8%

SIR Voter Deletion - Bihar6%

Latest Census Year Available2011

1-Minute Revision

›SIR Voter Deletion - Gujarat: 13.4%
›SIR Voter Deletion - Tamil Nadu: 11.5%
›Target this Data: Highest voter deletion rate (13.4% in Gujarat) during SIR process.
›Target this Nodal Body: Election Commission of India (ECI) - constitutional authority under Article 324.
›Target this Legal Point: Supreme Court's potential ruling on the constitutionality of the SIR process.

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News Snapshot

⚖️

Constitutional Challenge

The Supreme Court is urged to rule on the constitutionality of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for electoral rolls.

📊

High Voter Deletions

The SIR process led to significant net voter deletions, with rates as high as 13.4% in Gujarat and 11.5% in Tamil Nadu.

🚺

Disproportionate Impact

The deletions affected more female electors than male and disproportionately impacted migrant voters and married women shifting residences.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a process by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to clean electoral rolls. Unlike a household count, it shifts the onus onto voters to prove their eligibility. This process is under scrutiny for potential structural flaws and its impact on voter inclusion, especially in the absence of a recent Census (2011 data is outdated).

Core Analysis & Implications

The high deletion rates in net in-migrant states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, coupled with higher excisions for female voters, indicate systemic issues. The process disadvantages short-term migrants and married women who change residences. The reliance on political party complaints as a metric for omissions is flawed, as parties in a zero-sum game may lack the agency to assist all voters. The voter ID's utility being limited to quinquennial elections also disincentivizes citizens from ensuring their registration.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

The Supreme Court's immediate role is to provide a constitutional verdict on the SIR process. A long-term solution requires a more robust, household-by-household enumeration method by the ECI. The resolution of the mess in West Bengal, where the Court has enlisted judicial officers from neighboring states for legal verification, will set a precedent for handling such administrative failures in the electoral process.

Key Facts at a Glance

SIR Voter Deletion - Gujarat13.4%

SIR Voter Deletion - Tamil Nadu11.5%

SIR Voter Deletion - Chhattisgarh11.8%

SIR Voter Deletion - Bihar6%

Latest Census Year Available2011

You've read the full analysis. Now test your understanding.

Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, SSC, State PSC

Under which Article of the Constitution is the Election Commission of India (ECI) established?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC, MPSC

Consider the following statements regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process discussed in the news:

1. It is a process conducted by the Election Commission of India for cleaning electoral rolls.

2. The process led to higher voter deletions in Bihar compared to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

3. The Supreme Court has sought assistance from judicial officers of neighboring states for legal verification in West Bengal due to implementation issues.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC, State PSC

According to the article, what was the approximate percentage of net voter deletions from the electoral rolls in Gujarat during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, State PSC

What is identified as a key structural defect of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process as per the news analysis?

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Special Intensive Revision Process: SC Urged to Rule on Constitutionality as Deletion Rates Hit 13.4% in Gujarat

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Constitutional Challenge

High Voter Deletions

Disproportionate Impact

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance