Rahul Gandhi's Plea in SC: 10 Demands include Halting SIR, Legal, constitutional Review of Entire SIR process

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, reached the Supreme Court with hundreds of supporters, seeking an interim stay on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raising concerns over alleged electoral irregularities.

The Congress legal team filed a petition earlier in the afternoon, seeking ten forms of relief concerning the SIR and other decisions taken by the Election Commission of India. As Rahul Gandhi could not reach the Supreme Court before the 4.30 pm deadline, lawyer S Prasanna filed the petition on his behalf.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav were among the INDIA bloc leaders who joined the march on Monday.

The move came a day after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined to meet Rahul Gandhi, citing the matter as sub judice. Following the development, Opposition leaders moved the Supreme Court with a joint petition seeking judicial intervention in the SIR process.

The petition, filed on October 12, 2026, challenges decisions taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and seeks judicial intervention to protect eligible voters’ rights and ensure free and fair elections.

What Are the 10 Demands in Rahul Gandhi’s Petition?

1. Disclosure of All SIR Records

The petition asks the Election Commission to submit all files, agreements, meeting minutes, objections and other records relating to the SIR. It also seeks access logs and file notings from ECINET and ERONET, including records concerning the decision to launch the exercise on June 24, 2025.

2. Examination of SIR’s Constitutional Validity

The plea seeks a judicial examination of whether the Election Commission’s decisions comply with the Constitution, applicable election laws and established Supreme Court rulings. It asks the court to set aside decisions taken without proper legal authority.

3. Action Against Officials Responsible for Violations

The petition seeks appropriate action against officials found responsible for violating constitutional or statutory provisions governing the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. It also refers to possible action under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

4. Resolution of Pending Grievances

The petition asks the Election Commission to decide the grievances raised by the petitioners and ensure that its decisions concerning the SIR comply with Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, with decisions properly recorded.

5. Changes to Online Form-6

The plea asks the Election Commission to ensure that the online Form-6, used to apply for inclusion in the electoral roll, matches the prescribed format under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Any changes should follow the legally required amendment procedure.

6. Independent Committee to Audit Voter Rolls and EVMs

The petition seeks an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, with technical experts and eminent citizens as members.

The proposed committee would:

• Audit deletions and amendments to electoral rolls during the SIR.
• Examine access to voter databases and changes made through ECINET and ERONET.
• Review the technical design, policies, procedures and protocols governing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
• Consider international best practices to strengthen free and fair elections.

7. Publication of Deleted Voters’ Names and Reasons

The petition asks the Election Commission to publish booth-wise lists of voters whose names have been deleted during the SIR, along with the reasons for each deletion.

It also seeks a breakdown by age and gender and an effective mechanism to restore the names of eligible voters who have been wrongly removed.

8. No Deletion Without Notice and a Hearing

The plea asks the court to ensure that no voter’s name is deleted without legally required notice and a reasonable opportunity to be heard.

It also seeks permission for eligible voters in Punjab and other states facing elections to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls until the legally prescribed cut-off date.

9. Immediate Suspension of the SIR

One of the petition’s main demands is an interim stay on the ongoing SIR across all states until the Supreme Court examines and decides the issues raised in the case.

The petitioners argue that suspending the exercise in the meantime would protect eligible voters’ rights and the integrity of the electoral process.

10. Any Other Relief the Court Considers Necessary

The petition also asks the Supreme Court to pass any additional orders it considers appropriate to protect voting rights and safeguard the integrity of elections.

Why Has Rahul Gandhi Approached the Supreme Court?

The INDIA bloc has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and called for accountability from the Election Commission. Opposition leaders have also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The petition seeks judicial scrutiny of the SIR process, greater transparency in voter list changes and safeguards against the removal of eligible voters.

The demands are requests made by the petitioners; they are not findings of wrongdoing by the Election Commission or orders already issued by the Supreme Court.