UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — ‘Logical discrepancies’ in Bengal SIR defy science, EC informs SC

Q1. In the context of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal (2025-26), the term 'logical discrepancy' primarily refers to which of the following?

  • A. A mismatch in the parent's name and/or an age gap of less than 15 years or more than 50 years between an elector and the parent recorded in the base reference roll
  • B. A duplicate Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number issued to two electors residing in different Assembly constituencies
  • C. A mismatch between the elector's Aadhaar-linked address and the address declared in Form 6
  • D. An elector whose name appears in the rolls of more than one polling booth within the same constituency

Q2. Within the Election Commission's administrative hierarchy, the house-to-house field verification of electors during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal is directly conducted by which of the following functionaries?

  • A. Booth Level Officer (BLO) working under the Electoral Registration Officer
  • B. Returning Officer of the Assembly constituency
  • C. District Election Officer of the district
  • D. Chief Electoral Officer of the State

Q3. Consider the following features stated by the Election Commission of India in its affidavit to the Supreme Court regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal: 1. The 2002 electoral roll is being used as the base/reference roll for progeny linkage. 2. An age difference of less than 15 years between an elector and the listed parent is treated as a logical discrepancy. 3. Cases of a single elector being linked to more than 200 'children' in the base roll were flagged as scientifically impossible. 4. The exercise is being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation on behalf of the Election Commission. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2002 electoral roll is being used as the base/reference roll for progeny linkage.
  2. An age difference of less than 15 years between an elector and the listed parent is treated as a logical discrepancy.
  3. Cases of a single elector being linked to more than 200 'children' in the base roll were flagged as scientifically impossible.
  4. The exercise is being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation on behalf of the Election Commission.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. Under which statutory provision is the Election Commission of India empowered to direct a 'special revision' of the electoral roll, such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) currently underway in West Bengal?

  • A. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • B. Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. Article 326 of the Constitution of India
  • D. Rule 13 of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961
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