SC issues notice to Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav over SIR march

On Thursday, the Supreme Court issued notice on a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alongside nine other INDIA bloc leaders, who are challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Issuing notice, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi orally remarked, “We would also ask one of the petitioners about his conduct.”

The court has requested responses from the ECI, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi regarding the plea.


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This legal action comes after Gandhi led an Opposition march to the Supreme Court on October 12 to protest the SIR exercise. While Gandhi originally intended to submit the petition in person, it was eventually filed through legal representatives as the Registry was preparing to close.

The co-petitioners in the matter include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) leader MA Baby, CPI leader D Raja, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Mahua Majhi, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule, IUML leader Mohammed Basheer, VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan, and former Jammu and Kashmir minister Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo.

The petition questions the legal validity of the SIR process and demands full disclosure of ECI records, public release of deleted voters' details, measures to prevent arbitrary removals, and an established protocol to restore names. Furthermore, it requests a judicial audit of the revision and a temporary stay on the exercise across all states while the matter remains under adjudication.

Additionally, the apex court issued notices on separate petitions concerning the SIR filed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Prior to filing, Opposition leaders had requested an appointment with the CJI to express their grievances over the SIR process and call for CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. However, the CJI turned down the request, clarifying that the matters were already before the court and that relief should be sought through formal judicial channels.