Assam BJP says ECI affidavit backs legality of SIR process

The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on October 27 said the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) affidavit before the Supreme Court had clarified the legal basis and decision-making process behind the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In a statement issued on October 27, the BJP said the affidavit reaffirmed that the SIR exercise was being conducted in accordance with the applicable legal framework. It also stated that the directives issued in June 2025, October 2025 and May 2026 had received the unanimous approval of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

The BJP further highlighted the ECI’s clarification that Form 6, used for the registration of new voters, had not been amended. According to the statement, the SIR declaration form was a separate document intended to verify applicants’ previous electoral-roll particulars.

The party said the Commission had separated Form 6 and the declaration form into two distinct components on its online portal with effect from October 21, 2026, to clarify their respective purposes.

The statement also noted that individual observations and queries recorded by Election Commissioners during internal file circulation were deliberative inputs and did not necessarily constitute the Commission’s final decision.

The BJP accused Opposition parties of misrepresenting internal deliberations within the ECI and spreading confusion over the revision exercise. These assertions were made by the party in its statement.

The development comes as the Supreme Court, on October 27, granted the petitioners representing the Opposition side ten days to file their rejoinder to the Election Commission’s counter-affidavit.

The ECI has reiterated its commitment to transparency, impartiality and adherence to the law in the electoral process, according to the statement issued by the Assam BJP.