UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why was illegal immigration not cited as reason for SIR: SC

Q1. In its May 2026 verdict on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Supreme Court primarily anchored the Election Commission of India's plenary power to undertake the SIR in which one of the following constitutional/statutory provisions?

  • A. Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. Article 326 of the Constitution read with Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • C. Article 243K of the Constitution read with Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • D. Article 329 of the Constitution read with Section 30 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that was the subject of the Supreme Court's 2026 proceedings: 1. The SIR was ordered by the Election Commission of India on 24 June 2025, with Bihar as the primary geography. 2. The Supreme Court traced the Election Commission's power to undertake SIR to Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. 3. Article 326 of the Constitution makes Indian citizenship a mandatory qualification for being registered as a voter. 4. The Election Commission invoked the 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 as the basis for the citizenship test applied during SIR. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The SIR was ordered by the Election Commission of India on 24 June 2025, with Bihar as the primary geography.
  2. The Supreme Court traced the Election Commission's power to undertake SIR to Article 324 of the Constitution read with Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
  3. Article 326 of the Constitution makes Indian citizenship a mandatory qualification for being registered as a voter.
  4. The Election Commission invoked the 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955 as the basis for the citizenship test applied during SIR.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's scrutiny of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 2026: 1. The Election Commission's SIR notification expressly cited 'illegal cross-border immigration' as the stated trigger for the exercise. 2. The Supreme Court held that the SIR exercise amounts to a final adjudication on the citizenship of persons deleted from the rolls. 3. The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to forward the names of persons deleted on grounds of doubtful citizenship to the Union Government. 4. The Supreme Court Bench that pronounced the SIR verdict was led by Chief Justice Surya Kant. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Election Commission's SIR notification expressly cited 'illegal cross-border immigration' as the stated trigger for the exercise.
  2. The Supreme Court held that the SIR exercise amounts to a final adjudication on the citizenship of persons deleted from the rolls.
  3. The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to forward the names of persons deleted on grounds of doubtful citizenship to the Union Government.
  4. The Supreme Court Bench that pronounced the SIR verdict was led by Chief Justice Surya Kant.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q4. In the context of the 2026 Supreme Court proceedings, the term 'Special Intensive Revision (SIR)' of electoral rolls refers to:

  • A. A house-to-house enumeration-based revision of electoral rolls undertaken by the Election Commission of India under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to verify and reconstitute entries afresh.
  • B. The annual summary revision of electoral rolls conducted exclusively under Section 21(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, limited to additions and corrections with reference to the qualifying date.
  • C. A citizenship-verification drive conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Citizenship Act, 1955, with electoral consequences arising as an incidental outcome.
  • D. A census-linked update of the National Population Register supervised by the Registrar General of India that automatically feeds into electoral rolls.

Q5. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, whose constitutional validity was upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2026, is operationalised by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. Election Commission of India
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India
  • C. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India
  • D. The State Election Commission of the State concerned
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