India: Independent panel comprising former SC, HC judges formed to probe SIR
New Delhi: A lawyers’ organization in India has constituted a panel comprising former Supreme Court and High Court judges to review the Election Commission’s process of Special Summary Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the ‘Lawyers Association for Constitution’ (LAFC) stated that a five-member commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Madan B. Lokur, will examine the constitutional and legal status, methodology, and overall impact of this voter list revision process.
The statement noted that this newly formed independent commission, consisting of former judges, will operate with full autonomy to assess the constitutional and legal validity, procedures, and overall consequences of the SIR process for eligible voters.
In addition to Madan B. Lokur, the panel includes former Supreme Court judge A.K. Patnaik, former Chief Justice of the occupied Jammu and Kashmir High Court Badar Durrez Ahmed, and former judges Rekha Sharma and Anjana Prakash.
According to the statement, the commission will examine, among other matters, whether eligible citizens were retained on the voter list and whether the names of ineligible individuals were removed correctly.
The commission intends to hold public hearings across the country. To this end, the Commission’s full and regional benches will visit various locations to record the views and statements of affected citizens, civil society organizations, and experts.
The LAFC stated that the Commission would bear full responsibility for the findings and recommendations of its inquiry. It noted that several senior lawyers, including Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan, Chandra Uday Singh, Prashanto Chandra Sen, Raju Ramachandran, Rebecca Mammen John, Warisha Farasat, and Vrinda Grover, would provide strategic legal advice to the Commission.
