SC opposes using SIR data for non-electoral purposes, issues notice to EC and Bengal government
The Supreme Court stated that Special Intensive Revision (SIR) data is solely for elections and cannot be used for other purposes, especially not to determine citizenship or deny welfare benefits. This came after a Congress leader's petition alleged that the West Bengal government was using SIR data to remove names from schemes like food security, women's welfare, and Backward Caste certifications. The court issued notice to the Election Commission and the West Bengal government, highlighting that deletion from electoral rolls has severe civil consequences beyond voting rights. The slow pace of appeal hearings for excluded individuals was also a key concern.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court clarified that SIR data is exclusively for election-related tasks and not for determining citizenship or denying welfare benefits.
- A petition alleged that the West Bengal government used SIR data to remove names from various welfare schemes.
- Deletion from electoral rolls can lead to serious civil consequences for individuals.
- Concerns were raised about the slow processing of appeals, with only 38,000 out of 34 lakh appeals heard so far.
- The court emphasized the need for publicly available guidelines for filing documents and conducting hearings for excluded electors.
Exam Facts
- Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
- Justice Joymalya Bagchi made observations regarding SIR data use.
- The petition was filed by Congress leader Prasenjit Bose.
- Articles 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the Constitution deal with citizenship rights.
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