Process Disenfranchising Millions, Turning Them to Second Class Citizens Is Arbitrary, Says Justice Bhuyan
He said electoral roll deletions need notice and a hearing, warning that mass disenfranchisement would violate Articles 14 and 326 and the Constitution’s basic structure.
- On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, warning that mass disenfranchisement of Indian citizens violates the Constitution's basic structure and Articles 326 and 14.
- These remarks address ongoing controversy regarding the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision process, which has sparked concerns over the potential exclusion of eligible voters from electoral rolls.
- Bhuyan stressed that electoral roll deletions require due process, stating, "Except in the case of a dead voter, the name of a voter once enlisted in the electoral roll cannot be deleted without notice and hearing."
- While the Supreme Court upheld the ECI's authority to conduct the revision in its May 27, 2026 judgment, Bhuyan emphasized that the right to vote is integral to citizenship, describing its removal as "taking out the soul from the body."
- Asserting that "the Constitution does not provide for two classes of citizens," Bhuyan warned against wholesale disenfranchisement, adding that "no one is above the Constitution" when regulating voting rights under Articles 326 and 14.
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26 Articles
No whataboutery can justify disenfranchising millions: SC judge Ujjal Bhuyan amid SIR row
His remarks come amid reports of large-scale deletions during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations that eligible voters are being targeted for removal.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjwal Bhuyan stated that citizenship and the right to vote are interconnected. He added that denying an Indian citizen the right to vote would violate Articles 326 and 14 of the Constitution.
'No whataboutery can justify act of taking away voting rights': Supreme Court judge amid SIR row
Speaking at the NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said no "whataboutery can justify" the act of taking away the voting rights in India. His remarks come amid the row over a report claiming 'dissent' with EC members over SIR.
Disenfranchising millions arbitrary, nothing justifies it: SC judge
Hyderabad: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday, October 4, said any process which disenfranchises millions of Indian citizens was intrinsically arbitrary and a negation of the constitutional order. No amount of “whataboutery” can justify it. Speaking at an event at the NALSAR University of Law here, he said the Indian Constitution does not … Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics…
‘No Two Classes Of Citizens’: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan On Right To Vote And Mass Disenfranchisement Amid SIR Row
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said mass disenfranchisement would be arbitrary and violate Articles 14 and 326, stressing that voting rights are central to citizenship and the Constitution’s basic structure
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