Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
Why in News?
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The Election Commission (EC) has initiated a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
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Debate: EC requiring birth certificate & parental citizenship proof (for post-1987 births) → may risk voter exclusion.
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Lokniti-CSDS survey (Assam, Kerala, MP, UP, WB & Delhi) shows documentation gaps and risks of disenfranchisement.
Key Findings of Lokniti-CSDS Survey
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Awareness: Only 36% respondents aware of SIR/document needs.
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Birth Certificate possession:
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Madhya Pradesh: 11% (lowest).
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Assam: 36%, Kerala: 38%.
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Delhi: 44%, West Bengal: 49% (highest among surveyed).
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Majority still lack it across States.
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Parental documents (for post-1987 & post-2003 births):
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2/3 respondents lacked parental birth certificates.
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High absence in MP (87%), UP (72% mothers, 64% fathers), WB (68–70%).
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Other Documents:
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Class 10 certificate: Kerala (85%) vs MP (40%).
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Domicile: Kerala (65%) vs WB (35%).
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Caste certificate: Kerala (65%), Assam (60%) vs WB (19%).
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Aadhaar: Near-universal, but excluded by EC in SIR.
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“No Document Citizens”: 5% had none of the 11 EC-mandated documents.
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Higher among women, SCs, OBCs, and economically weaker sections.
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Difficulty in obtaining certificates:
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Kerala (41%), MP (40%), WB (41%), Delhi (46%).
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Citizens foresee hurdles in compliance even where possession rates are higher.
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Issues & Challenges
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Risk of Exclusion: Poor, women, SCs, OBCs disproportionately affected.
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State-wise disparity: Documentation infrastructure varies widely.
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Historical record-keeping gaps: Older generations never collected birth/caste records.
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Administrative burden: Citizens forced to run pillar-to-post for papers.
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Aadhaar paradox: Universally available but excluded from eligibility.
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Federal challenge: Uniform documentary requirements may not suit all States.
Conclusion
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) aims at cleansing and updating electoral rolls, but in its current document-heavy framework, it risks undermining the very principle of universal adult franchise by disproportionately excluding the poor, women, and marginalized communities. While ensuring the integrity of voter rolls is essential for free and fair elections, it must not come at the cost of inclusivity and accessibility. A more balanced approach — simplifying documentation, recognizing Aadhaar and alternative IDs, strengthening digital records, and extending administrative support — is necessary to ensure that the SIR becomes a tool of empowerment rather than exclusion, preserving the democratic ethos of India.
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