Association for Democratic Reforms & Ors v Election Commission of India
DecidedJudgment 27 May 2026 (2026 INSC 564).
9 recorded steps, 10 Jul 2025 to 27 May 2026 — decided, not pending.
Every recorded step
- 2025
24 Jun 2025RelatedDOCUMENT
The Commission ordered a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls of Bihar, with enumeration forms for every existing elector and a fresh draft roll limited to those who returned a form. The accompanying order said the Commission had decided to begin SIR in the entire country, starting with Bihar because its Assembly election was due. It set a schedule ending in final publication on 30 September 2025.
The order under challenge
10 Jul 2025OrderDOCUMENT
While issuing notice on petitions against the Bihar SIR, the Supreme Court said the Commission should also consider accepting Aadhaar, the EPIC voter card and ration cards in addition to the 11 listed documents. The judgment's account of this order records no stay of the exercise.
- COURT
- Supreme Court of India
- CASE NUMBER
- W.P.(C) No. 640/2025 (PIL-W), with connected petitions
- BENCH
- Justice Surya Kant CJI, Justice Joymalya Bagchi J
- CITATION
- 2026 INSC 564
- PETITIONERS
- Association for Democratic Reforms, Yogendra Singh Yadav, Manoj Jha, Mahua Moitra, People's Union for Civil Liberties
- RESPONDENTS
- Election Commission of India
- FILED OR FIRST RECORDED
- 6 Jul 2025
In brief
Association for Democratic Reforms, Yogendra Singh Yadav, Manoj Jha, Mahua Moitra and the People's Union for Civil Liberties petitioned the Supreme Court within days of the Commission's 24 June 2025 order starting a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, arguing the exercise risked mass, arbitrary disenfranchisement. The Court heard the case on an expedited basis through July 2025 to January 2026 and reserved judgment on 29 January 2026, delivering a unanimous verdict on 27 May 2026 that upheld the SIR and traced the Commission's power to it to Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, while issuing directions on Aadhaar as an identity document, disclosure of 'logical discrepancy' lists and other procedural safeguards.
Read more
Association for Democratic Reforms, Yogendra Singh Yadav, Manoj Jha, Mahua Moitra and the People's Union for Civil Liberties petitioned the Supreme Court within days of the Commission's 24 June 2025 order starting a Special Intensive Revision of Bihar's electoral rolls, arguing the exercise risked mass, arbitrary disenfranchisement. The Court heard the case on an expedited basis through July 2025 to January 2026 and reserved judgment on 29 January 2026, delivering a unanimous verdict on 27 May 2026 that upheld the SIR and traced the Commission's power to it to Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, while issuing directions on Aadhaar as an identity document, disclosure of 'logical discrepancy' lists and other procedural safeguards.
SOURCES
Open the full entry →The Supreme Court directed the Commission to publish the roughly 65 lakh names left out of the Bihar draft roll with reasons, and allowed those excluded to file claims with a copy of their Aadhaar card. The Commission conveyed the direction to the CEO Bihar by a letter of the same date.
27 May 2026JudgmentDOCUMENTLATEST
The Supreme Court disposed of the petitions against the Bihar SIR, holding the exercise traceable to Section 21(3) of the RP Act, 1950 read with Article 324, proportionate, and consistent with the 1960 Rules. It upheld the document regime as within the Commission's discretion (Aadhaar having been added by its 8 September 2025 order) and said the Commission may make a limited, electoral-only inquiry into citizenship. It directed that people deleted as non-citizens be referred within four weeks to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act.
