V3I10P6

SIR – The Fight for Citizenship: “We the People of India”

Dr. Pushpa Lenkapally^1*, Dr. Srinivas Potharaju²

Abstract

This paper examines the political and constitutional concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its relationship to citizenship, equality, and democratic participation in India. The source material emphasizes that SIR is formally an electoral-roll revision process and, as noted in the discussion of the Supreme Court’s position, is not itself a process for determining citizenship. However, the practical experiences described in the material raise concerns about the possible blurring of electoral verification and citizenship verification. The paper highlights the burden of documentation on vulnerable groups, including poor people, migrant workers, women, Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities. It also considers the Assam experience, the importance of procedural fairness, transparency, appeal mechanisms, and the constitutional principle of equal citizenship. The central argument of the source is that electoral-roll revision should be conducted fairly, transparently, and consistently so that genuine citizens are not deprived of democratic rights.

Keywords:

Special Intensive Revision (SIR); Citizenship; Electoral Rolls; Constitutional Equality; Democratic Rights; Documentation; Political Participation; Marginalized Groups; Due Process; India