SIR Row Supreme Court Adjourns Rahul Gandhi vs Election Commission Hearing to Nov 17
The SIR (Special Intensive Revision) row has become the biggest political issue in the country right now. On 27th October 2026, the Supreme Court held a crucial hearing on the petitions filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and 12 other leaders of the INDIA Bloc against the Election Commission of India.
LATEST UPDATE (27 Oct, 11:30 AM): The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing in the SIR matter to 17th November. A bench headed by CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joy malya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana has asked the petitioners to file a rejoinder to the ECI's affidavit within 10 days.
What is SIR? Explained in Simple Terms
SIR stands for Special Intensive Revision. It is a special drive conducted by the Election Commission to clean up the electoral roll.
Under this process, Booth Level Officers visit every household to verify voters. If a person is found to have shifted, died, or is registered at two places, his name can be deleted from the list.
While this process is routine, the Opposition has raised questions because it is being done just a few months before the elections.
What Did Rahul Gandhi Demand in Supreme Court?
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for Rahul Gandhi in the Supreme Court. He made three major demands before the court:
First, all file notings and internal communications of the Election Commission regarding the decision to start SIR should be preserved. The allegation is that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar took the decision alone without consulting the other two Election Commissioners.
Second, the process of voter deletion should be stayed until the entire matter is clarified.
Third, the changes allegedly made in Form 6, which is used for adding new voters, should be examined.
What Did the Election Commission Reply?
The Election Commission filed its counter-affidavit on Sunday evening. Senior Advocate Dr. Maninder Singh appeared for the ECI.
The ECI made two big clarifications in the court
1. No Change in Form 6 The ECI said that Form 6 has not been changed at all. It is exactly the same as it was before.
2. No Deletion Without ERO Order The ECI assured the court that no voter's name will be deleted without a written order from the Electoral Registration Officer. In every case, a proper notice will be issued first.
The ECI also said that the allegations made by the petitioners are just rhetoric outside the court and have no legal basis.
Congress and TMC's Counterattack
Congress and TMC hit back at the ECI's reply. Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for TMC MP Dola Sen, said that the ECI's own affidavit proves their allegation.
She said that the ECI had issued a false press release claiming that the Supreme Court had approved Form 6, which never happened.
Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that large-scale voter deletion is happening in Bihar and other states, which is a threat to democracy.
What is the Bihar Election Connection?
The matter is being linked to the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025. The Opposition alleges that in the name of SIR, names of voters from a particular community and poor voters are being deleted before the elections.
Rahul Gandhi has also cited the example of Bihar in his petition.
What Did CJI Surya Kant Say?
During the hearing, when Singhvi demanded preservation of file notings, CJI Surya Kant said, "We know everything, we will examine.
This means the court is taking the matter seriously and will examine the ECI's process.
What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court has now listed the matter for 17th November after the Diwali vacation.
The court has directed that petitioners should file their rejoinder within 10 days. The ECI can also file an additional affidavit if it wants. Till then, all file notings should be preserved.
Conclusion
This fight is not just about a form or a list. This fight is about the independence and impartiality of the Election Commission. If the CEC is taking decisions alone, it is against the law.
Now on 17th November, it will be clear what major decision the Supreme Court gives on this. Until then, the battle of Rahul Gandhi vs Election Commission will continue.
