Supreme Court Registry Flags 14 Defects in INDIA Bloc’s SIR Petition, Cites ₹220 Fee Shortfall

October 13, 2026

New Delhi: The Supreme Court registry has flagged 14 procedural defects in a petition filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders challenging alleged irregularities in the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The objections include missing signatures and lawyer authorisations, incomplete supporting documents, an unclear identity card and a shortfall of ₹220 in court fees.

The petition has not yet been cleared for listing for a hearing. The petitioners’ legal team will need to address the registry’s objections before the matter can proceed. The defects relate to filing requirements and do not represent a judicial decision on the merits of the allegations.

What Are the 14 Defects Flagged in the Petition?

Among the objections, the registry has reportedly pointed out that the vakalatnamas—documents authorising lawyers to represent clients—were missing or unsigned for nine petitioners. It has also sought a clear and legible copy of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s identity card.

The registry has raised concerns over the ₹220 shortfall in court fees and deficiencies in supporting documents. Other objections reportedly include missing pages, illegible text, small font sizes, the absence of coloured copies of certain documents and inconsistencies in page numbering.

The filing has also faced objections concerning the identification of respondents and the need to clarify why individual Election Commissioners have been named as private respondents in a petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution. The registry has further sought relevant supporting records and a copy of an earlier judicial decision.

These procedural issues must be rectified before the petition can move forward in the Supreme Court.

What Has the INDIA Bloc Asked the Supreme Court to Do?

The petition was filed by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders seeking judicial intervention over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and decisions taken by the Election Commission. The respondents include the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

The petition seeks an independent audit of electoral-roll deletions and modifications by a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, along with technical experts and other eminent citizens. It also seeks an interim suspension of the ongoing SIR exercise until the court decides the issues raised.

The leaders have called for safeguards to ensure that no eligible voter is removed from electoral rolls without prior notice and a reasonable opportunity to be heard. They have also sought booth-wise publication of deleted voters’ names, reasons for deletion and relevant demographic details.

Petition Raises Concerns Over Electoral Transparency

The plea seeks access to records related to the SIR process, including files, minutes, internal notes and relevant digital records. It also asks the court to examine whether the Election Commission’s decisions comply with constitutional provisions and applicable election laws.

The petitioners have raised concerns about the transparency of electoral-roll revisions and the potential exclusion of eligible voters. The plea also cites reported changes in Punjab’s electoral rolls to underline the urgency of the matter.

The Supreme Court registry’s objections mean the petitioners must first correct the filing deficiencies. The allegations concerning the SIR process and the relief sought by the INDIA bloc remain matters for judicial consideration.