SIR Timeline Faces Uncertainty: Supreme Court Order May Delay Electoral Roll Deadlines

• The Election Commission (EC) is assessing potential delays in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls due to a Supreme Court order.
• Nearly five million hearings are pending, and the existing February 7 deadline for hearings is likely to be extended.
• The Supreme Court, in Dola Sen vs Election Commission of India, directed the EC to record "logical discrepancies" and provide 10 additional days for document submission after their publication.
• Compliance with the Supreme Court's directives, including displaying discrepancy lists and mandatory acknowledgements, makes the February 14 final electoral roll publication date unfeasible.
• New guidelines from the EC are awaited, and individuals who missed initial hearings will get another opportunity.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court's directives on electoral roll revision will likely push back hearing and final publication deadlines.