UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Late economist, top poll official on SIR notice list

Q1. With reference to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as compared with the ordinary (summary) revision of rolls, consider the following statements: 1. In SIR the roll is built up through house-to-house enumeration by Booth Level Officers who distribute and collect enumeration forms, whereas summary revision essentially updates an existing roll on the basis of applications received. 2. Unlike summary revision, SIR dispenses with the publication of a draft roll and with the claims-and-objections stage, the revised roll being notified directly as the final roll. 3. In the Bihar SIR, unlike in an ordinary revision, Booth Level Agents of recognised political parties were permitted to collect and submit forms from the public subject to a daily ceiling of 50 forms per agent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. In SIR the roll is built up through house-to-house enumeration by Booth Level Officers who distribute and collect enumeration forms, whereas summary revision essentially updates an existing roll on the basis of applications received.
  2. Unlike summary revision, SIR dispenses with the publication of a draft roll and with the claims-and-objections stage, the revised roll being notified directly as the final roll.
  3. In the Bihar SIR, unlike in an ordinary revision, Booth Level Agents of recognised political parties were permitted to collect and submit forms from the public subject to a daily ceiling of 50 forms per agent.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Consider the following, with reference to the safeguards prescribed by the Election Commission of India for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls: 1. Claims and objections against the draft roll are filed in Forms 6, 7 and 8 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. 2. A name appearing in the draft roll can be deleted only after notice and a speaking order recording reasons. 3. An elector is treated as untraceable only after a minimum of two to three door-to-door visits by the Booth Level Officer. 4. Deletions proposed during enumeration take effect on publication of the draft roll itself and can be contested only after the final roll is published. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Claims and objections against the draft roll are filed in Forms 6, 7 and 8 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
  2. A name appearing in the draft roll can be deleted only after notice and a speaking order recording reasons.
  3. An elector is treated as untraceable only after a minimum of two to three door-to-door visits by the Booth Level Officer.
  4. Deletions proposed during enumeration take effect on publication of the draft roll itself and can be contested only after the final roll is published.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the constitutional and statutory framework for the preparation and revision of electoral rolls in India: 1. The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for elections to Parliament and to State Legislatures vests in the Election Commission of India under Article 324. 2. Under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the electoral roll for each constituency is prepared with reference to a qualifying date and comes into force upon its final publication. 3. The Election Commission may direct a special revision of the electoral roll of a constituency in such manner as it thinks fit, for reasons to be recorded in writing. 4. The preparation of electoral rolls for elections to panchayats and municipalities is likewise vested in the Election Commission of India under Article 324. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for elections to Parliament and to State Legislatures vests in the Election Commission of India under Article 324.
  2. Under Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the electoral roll for each constituency is prepared with reference to a qualifying date and comes into force upon its final publication.
  3. The Election Commission may direct a special revision of the electoral roll of a constituency in such manner as it thinks fit, for reasons to be recorded in writing.
  4. The preparation of electoral rolls for elections to panchayats and municipalities is likewise vested in the Election Commission of India under Article 324.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q4. With reference to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 as compared with the enactment of 1991 that it replaced, consider the following statements: 1. The 2023 Act retains the term of office of six years or until the incumbent attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier. 2. Appointment is made by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People. 3. The panel of five names from which the Selection Committee chooses is prepared by a Search Committee headed by the Chief Election Commissioner. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2023 Act retains the term of office of six years or until the incumbent attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
  2. Appointment is made by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People.
  3. The panel of five names from which the Selection Committee chooses is prepared by a Search Committee headed by the Chief Election Commissioner.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. Phase-II of the Special Intensive Revision, rolled out across nine States and three Union Territories, covered an electorate of approximately how many crore voters?

  • A. About 41 crore electors across the participating States and UTs
  • B. About 45 crore electors across the participating States and UTs
  • C. About 51 crore electors across the participating States and UTs
  • D. About 61 crore electors across the participating States and UTs

Q6. In its May 2026 judgment upholding the Special Intensive Revision, the Supreme Court traced the Election Commission's power to order such a revision to Article 324 of the Constitution read with which one of the following statutory provisions?

  • A. Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, dealing with correction of entries in electoral rolls
  • B. Rule 25 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, dealing with the final publication of rolls
  • C. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, dealing with special revision of rolls
  • D. Section 13CC of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, dealing with officers deemed on deputation

Q7. By the Supreme Court's May 2026 SIR verdict, cases where a name is proposed to be deleted on grounds of citizenship must be referred by the Election Commission to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act within how many weeks?

  • A. Within two weeks of the proposed deletion being recorded
  • B. Within four weeks of the proposed deletion being recorded
  • C. Within eight weeks of the proposed deletion being recorded
  • D. Within twelve weeks of the proposed deletion being recorded

Q8. Consider the following statements about the notices issued on the draft electoral roll of Delhi under the Special Intensive Revision: 1. Electors placed in the 'No Mapping' category are those whose entries could not be matched with the corresponding entry in the previous SIR roll. 2. Of the roughly 33.13 lakh electors flagged for notices, those classified under 'Logical Discrepancies' outnumbered those classified under 'No Mapping'. 3. The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has published booth-wise data setting out the discrepancies flagged against electors who were issued notices. 4. The plea before the Supreme Court seeking disclosure of the notice categories and the reasons for flagging was filed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi against the Election Commission. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Electors placed in the 'No Mapping' category are those whose entries could not be matched with the corresponding entry in the previous SIR roll.
  2. Of the roughly 33.13 lakh electors flagged for notices, those classified under 'Logical Discrepancies' outnumbered those classified under 'No Mapping'.
  3. The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has published booth-wise data setting out the discrepancies flagged against electors who were issued notices.
  4. The plea before the Supreme Court seeking disclosure of the notice categories and the reasons for flagging was filed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi against the Election Commission.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q9. An elector flagged on Delhi's draft SIR roll under 'logical discrepancies' or 'no mapping' can have the name removed from the roll only after notice and a speaking order passed by which one of the following?

  • A. The Booth Level Officer attached to the polling station concerned
  • B. The Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer concerned
  • C. The District Election Officer of the revenue district concerned
  • D. The Chief Electoral Officer of the National Capital Territory of Delhi

Q10. The late economist Bibek Debroy, whose name figured in Delhi's draft SIR roll, served as the chairman of which one of the following bodies?

  • A. NITI Aayog
  • B. National Statistical Commission of India
  • C. Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
  • D. Twenty-first Law Commission of India

Q11. For the purposes of constituting the Selection Committee that recommends names for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, the expression 'Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People' is to be understood as which one of the following?

  • A. The leader of the single largest party in opposition in the Council of States, where the House of the People has no recognised holder of that office
  • B. The leader of the largest party in opposition in the House of the People that commands at least one-tenth of the total strength of that House
  • C. A member of the House of the People in opposition, nominated jointly by all opposition parties for the purpose of the Selection Committee
  • D. The leader of the single largest party in opposition in the House of the People, where no such Leader has been recognised in that House