[Answered] Critically examine the potential for a ‘fraught franchise’ to emerge from a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. How can the Election Commission ensure electoral integrity?

Introduction

India, the world’s largest democracy, has 96.8 crore registered electors (ECI 2024). However, Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which deleted 65 lakh names, reveals risks of exclusion and threatens democratic legitimacy.

Risks of a ‘Fraught Franchise’ in Nationwide SIR

1. Massive Exclusions and Opaqueness: In Bihar, 47 lakh deletions were later corrected after Supreme Court intervention (2024), exposing procedural opacity. Disproportionate deletion of women and marginalised groups raises questions of systemic bias.
2. Over-burdening Citizens: Requirement of documents such as birth and caste certificates, often unavailable to poor, SC/ST/OBC, and migrant populations, risks disenfranchisement. Contradicts the principle of universal adult suffrage under Article 326.
3. Administrative Capacity Constraints: Conducting a door-to-door SIR for 96 crore voters is logistically complex. Errors in Aland (Karnataka, 2023) highlight ECI’s technical vulnerabilities.
4. Trust Deficit: Lack of consolidated exclusion lists and vague claims about “foreign nationals” risk creating political suspicion and bogeymen narratives. Could undermine free and fair elections — a basic structure of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973).
5. Gendered and Socioeconomic Dimensions: UN Women’s reports show women face higher risks of disenfranchisement due to migration after marriage and lack of property-linked documents. Similar exclusion was seen in NRC Assam (2019) where 19 lakh people, many poor and illiterate, were left out.

Safeguards for Electoral Integrity

1. Inclusive Verification Mechanisms: Adopt door-to-door verification by booth-level officers (BLOs), used effectively in early 2000s revisions. Use self-reporting plus physical verification, not suspicion as default.
2. Accept Widely Held Identity Documents: Recognise Aadhaar, voter ID, ration card, job cards—already with majority citizens. Reduces barriers for vulnerable populations.
3. Transparency and Due Process: Publish reasons for each deletion in advance, with clear appeals process at local level. Digital dashboards to track exclusions, while ensuring data privacy.
4. Technological Aids with Checks: Use AI-enabled de-duplication of rolls, but with human verification to prevent wrongful deletions. Lessons from Estonia’s e-voting system show that technology must be complemented with citizen trust-building.
5. Independent Oversight and Accountability: Empower Election Observers and civil society organisations to monitor roll revision. Regular audits by CAG or independent commissions to assess accuracy.
6. Gender-Sensitive and Migrant-Friendly Approach: Special campaigns for migrant workers and women voters with simplified registration norms. UNDP’s Electoral Assistance Division emphasises gendered inclusivity in roll preparation.

Way Forward

A nationwide SIR must balance roll purity (removing duplicates/ghost voters) with roll inclusivity (ensuring no legitimate voter is excluded). The focus should shift from suspicion of the electorate to empowerment of the electorate.

Conclusion

As B.R. Ambedkar reminded in the Constituent Assembly Debates, democracy rests not only on institutions but on “social legitimacy and inclusion.” For India, electoral integrity requires transparency, inclusivity, and trust, not exclusionary suspicion.