UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC to seek a report on the functioning of tribunals for SIR

Q1. The 19 Appellate Tribunals set up to hear appeals against exclusions and inclusions in the Special Intensive Revision of West Bengal's electoral rolls were created on the direction of which authority?

  • A. The Supreme Court of India
  • B. The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court
  • C. The Election Commission of India
  • D. The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal

Q2. Although the Supreme Court ordered their creation, the 19 SIR Appellate Tribunals in West Bengal were actually constituted and set up by which body?

  • A. The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court
  • B. The Election Commission of India
  • C. The Union Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal

Q3. While seeking a report on the tribunals' functioning, the Supreme Court directed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to constitute a panel of how many former senior judges to frame a uniform procedure for the SIR appellate tribunals?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. Seven

Q4. Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court's orders in the West Bengal SIR appellate-tribunal proceedings: 1. The Court asked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to constitute a panel of former senior judges to frame a uniform procedure for the tribunals. 2. The Court directed the Election Commission to issue a supplementary electoral roll to include voters whose appeals are allowed by the tribunals. 3. The Court decided to seek a report on the tribunals' functioning from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. 4. The Court itself directly nominated, by name, each retired judge heading the 19 tribunals. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Court asked the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to constitute a panel of former senior judges to frame a uniform procedure for the tribunals.
  2. The Court directed the Election Commission to issue a supplementary electoral roll to include voters whose appeals are allowed by the tribunals.
  3. The Court decided to seek a report on the tribunals' functioning from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
  4. The Court itself directly nominated, by name, each retired judge heading the 19 tribunals.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1 and 4

Q5. The second phase (Phase-II) of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls was launched across how many States and Union Territories taken together?

  • A. 9
  • B. 11
  • C. 12
  • D. 15

Q6. Which one of the following best captures how a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) differs from a routine Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls?

  • A. It involves a fresh house-to-house enumeration of electors with pre-filled Enumeration Forms, rather than merely updating the existing roll
  • B. It exclusively adds new voters and can never result in the deletion of any name from the roll
  • C. It is conducted only in the year immediately before a general election and never before an Assembly election
  • D. It is carried out solely by the High Court instead of the Election Commission

Q7. The office of the Electoral Registration Officer, who receives and decides applications made in Form 6 for inclusion of names in the electoral roll, is provided for under which statute?

  • A. The Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. The Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961
  • D. The Delimitation Act, 2002

Q8. Consider the following statements about the electoral registration and appeal framework: 1. Form 6 is the application for inclusion of the name of a new elector in the electoral roll. 2. An appeal from an order of the Electoral Registration Officer lies to the District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate or an officer of equivalent rank. 3. A further appeal lies to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State. 4. The Chief Electoral Officer of a State is appointed by the Governor of that State. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Form 6 is the application for inclusion of the name of a new elector in the electoral roll.
  2. An appeal from an order of the Electoral Registration Officer lies to the District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate or an officer of equivalent rank.
  3. A further appeal lies to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State.
  4. The Chief Electoral Officer of a State is appointed by the Governor of that State.
  • A. 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 4

Q9. Article 329 of the Constitution, which bars interference by courts in electoral matters, is framed in how many clauses?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q10. Under which constitutional provision can an election to a State Legislative Assembly be called in question only by means of an election petition?

  • A. Article 324
  • B. Article 326
  • C. Article 329(b)
  • D. Article 243-O

Q11. The 19 SIR Appellate Tribunals in West Bengal were staffed with retired members of the judiciary. The senior-most among those heading these tribunals held which of the following ranks?

  • A. Former Chief Justice of a High Court
  • B. Former Judge of a District Court
  • C. Serving Judge of the Supreme Court
  • D. Former Attorney General of India

Q12. Consider the following statements about the West Bengal SIR in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly election: 1. The Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls was carried out ahead of the 2026 Assembly election. 2. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally appeared before the Supreme Court to challenge the SIR exercise. 3. The Supreme Court had extended the deadline for finalising the Bengal voter list during the SIR. 4. Voters whose deletion appeals were allowed by the Appellate Tribunals were still barred from voting in the 2026 election. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls was carried out ahead of the 2026 Assembly election.
  2. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally appeared before the Supreme Court to challenge the SIR exercise.
  3. The Supreme Court had extended the deadline for finalising the Bengal voter list during the SIR.
  4. Voters whose deletion appeals were allowed by the Appellate Tribunals were still barred from voting in the 2026 election.
  • A. 3 only
  • B. 4 only
  • C. 1 and 2
  • D. 2 and 4