Systematic Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs4
- Articles1
Background
Directly impacts the fairness and integrity of democratic elections, the functioning of the ECI, and the rights of citizens to vote. Raises questions about administrative efficiency, potential for disenfranchisement, and judicial oversight of electoral processes.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections, which includes maintaining accurate electoral rolls. The Systematic Intensive Revision (SIR) is a process undertaken by the ECI to update and purify these rolls, aiming to remove duplicate entries, deceased voters, and non-residents, while also enrolling new eligible voters.
Facts & tables
- Implementing Body
- Election Commission of India (ECI)
- Primary Objective
- Ensure accurate and updated electoral rolls for free and fair elections
- Process
- Involves intensive verification, potential deletion/addition of voters
- Legal Basis
- Provisions primarily under the Representation of the People Act
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Indian Polity & Governance |
| Conceptual area | Constitutional & Statutory Bodies |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court of India | Supervises |
| Election Commission of India | Implements |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- ECI's mandate: free & fair elections, accurate rolls.
- SIR: intensive process to update voter lists.
- Concerns: arbitrary deletions, impact on voter demographics.
- Legal basis: Representation of the People Act.
- Judicial oversight: SC's role in validating process.
Check if created by Constitution or by Parliament.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2020 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2017 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
Timeline
-
Indian Polity & Governance
Conceptual area
-
Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2017
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2020
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2022
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Validating flaws: on the Supreme Court and the SIR
The SIR is an ECI process to update voter lists, crucial for electoral integrity, but its implementation can raise concerns about arbitrary deletions and voter disenfranchisement, leading to judicial scrutiny.
See also
Past papers
2017–2022 · 3 questions
In the news
Validating flaws: on the Supreme Court and the SIR
The SIR is an ECI process to update voter lists, crucial for electoral integrity, but its implementation can raise concerns about arbitrary deletions and voter disenfranchisement, leading to judicial scrutiny.
Try these PYQs
In India, Legal Services Authorities provide free legal services to which of the following type of citizens?
1. Person with an annual income of less than Rs 1,00,000
2. Transgender with an annual income of less than Rs 2,00,000
3. Member of Other Backward Classes (OBC) with an annual income of less than Rs 3,00,000
4. All Senior Citizens
Statement 1 is correct. The persons eligible for getting free legal services include - Women and children - Members of SC/ST - Industrial workmen - Victims of mass disaster, violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster - Disabled persons - Persons in custody - Persons whose annual income does not exceed 1 lakh - Victims of trafficking in human beings or begar . Statement 2 is correct. There is provision for free legal aid to transgenders up to 2 lakhs in Delhi. (But it is yet to be implemented at an all India level) Statement 3 is not correct. There is free aid to members of SC and ST community but not for OBCs. Statement 4 is not correct. Senior citizens eligibility for free legal aid depends on the Rules framed by the respective State Governments in this regard. In Delhi, for example, senior citizens are eligible for free legal aid subject to a prescribed ceiling of annual income. Therefore, all senior citizens are not eligible for free aid. Hence, A seems to be the most appropriate option among the given list.
Consider the following statements:
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and by-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is not a five-member body. It is a three-member body, consisting of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs). However, it originally started as a single-member body in 1950 and became a multi-member commission in 1993. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) does not decide the election schedule. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is solely responsible for determining the schedule of general elections and bye-elections. It exercises this power under Article 324 of the Constitution, ensuring free and fair elections in the country. Statement 3 is correct: The Election Commission of India has the authority to resolve disputes related to splits and mergers of recognized political parties. It decides which faction of a party is the legitimate one and, if necessary, allocates party symbols accordingly, based on precedents and internal party strength. Hence, the correct answer is option (D) 3 only.
With reference to India, consider the following statements:
1. Government law officers and legal firms are recognised as advocates, but corporate lawyers and patent attorneys are excluded from recognition as advocates.
2. Bar Councils have the power to lay down the rules relating to legal education and recognition of law colleges.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. Corporate Lawyers, as well as patent attorneys, are too recognized as advocate and there's no prohibition on their recognition as advocates. Statement 2 is correct. The Bar Council of India visits and inspects Universities/Law colleges in the country as part of its statutory function of promoting legal education and laying down standards in consultation with the Universities in India and the State Bar Councils. The Bar Council of India is a statutory body established under section 4 of the Advocates Act 1961 that regulates the legal practice and legal education in India.
Consider the following statements in respect of election to the President of India:
1. The members nominated to either House of the Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of States are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College.
2. Higher the number of elective Assembly seats, higher is the value of vote of each MLA of that State.
3. The value of vote of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is greater than that of Kerala.
4. The value of vote of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh because the ratio of total population to total number of elective seats in Puducherry is greater as compared to Arunachal Pradesh
How many of the above statements are correct?
* Statement 1 is incorrect: The elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament that is the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha as well as the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry and J&K) comprise the electoral college for the Presidential Election in India. * Statement 2 is incorrect: The value of the vote of each MLA depends on the ratio of the States population and the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly. By dividing the States population by the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly, and then further dividing the quotient achieved by 1000, one may calculate the value of each MLAs vote. Based on a calculation that takes into account each States population about the number of members in its legislative Assembly, each MLAs vote value varies from State to State. According to the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act of 2001, the population of the States is currently calculated using data from the 1971 Census. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The vote value of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is less than that of the vote value of each MLA of Kerala as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Kerala is greater relative to that in Madhya Pradesh. * Statement 4 is correct: The vote value of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Puducherry is greater relative to that in Arunachal Pradesh. In the 2022 Presidential election, the vote value of each MLA from Puducherry was 16 whereas the vote value of each MLA from Arunachal Pradesh came out to be 8.