Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave has sharply criticised the SIR of electoral rolls, warning that the exercise is undermining the constitutional guarantee of adult franchise and pushing millions of Indians off voter lists.
Speaking at the 17th K.M. Bashir Memorial Lecture on the theme ‘Are We Failing the Constitution or has the Constitution Failed Us?’, Dave invoked Dr BR Ambedkar’s foundational belief that political equality through universal adult franchise is essential to democracy.
“Ambedkar says, in politics we will have equality. You know, adult franchise. Of course, now, thanks to Election Commission and Supreme Court of India, that franchise is going away,” Dave said. He added that even he and his wife received notices questioning their inclusion in the voters list.
The ECI launched the SIR process in Bihar on June 24, 2025. Petitions challenging the exercise were filed before the Supreme Court, which declined to stay the process. The Bihar SIR concluded with the publication of a final electoral rollon Sep. 30, 2025, followed by Assembly elections on Nov. 6 and 11, 2025. The Supreme Court delivered its judgment only on May 27, 2026, upholding the EC’s power to conduct SIR. Dave criticised the Court for allowing the exercise to proceed despite concerns over fundamental rights violations.
He also raised alarm over a recent report revealing that CEC Gyanesh Kumar took decisions without the knowledge of the other two ECs.