ECI Asserts Constitutional Power to Exclude Foreigners from Electoral Rolls in Supreme Court

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) asserted its constitutional power for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
• Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi argued before the Supreme Court that ECI has a duty to exclude foreign nationals from voter lists.
• ECI cited Articles 324, 325, and 326, stating its authority to revise rolls is not foreclosed by statute.
• Dwivedi clarified that SIR differs from NRC; SIR focuses on citizens for voting, while NRC includes all persons.
• ECI emphasized its constitutional obligation to ensure purity of voter lists by excluding foreigners, regardless of their number.

Why It Matters: ECI asserts its constitutional mandate to purify electoral rolls by excluding foreigners, distinct from NRC.