UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC questions EC on voter deletion, citizenship

Q1. Under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase II launched by the Election Commission of India in late 2025, in how many States and Union Territories was the house-to-house enumeration conducted?

• A. 7 States and 2 Union Territories
• B. 9 States and 3 Union Territories
• C. 11 States and 4 Union Territories
• D. 12 States and 5 Union Territories

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase II of electoral rolls and the Supreme Court's engagement with it: 1. The exercise resulted in nearly 6.5 crore names being removed from the draft electoral rolls of the covered States/UTs. 2. The Supreme Court Bench hearing the SIR petitions in January 2026 comprised CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. 3. In its May 2026 judgment, the Supreme Court held that the Electoral Registration Officer can make a final and binding determination of an individual's citizenship. 4. House-to-house enumeration under SIR Phase II commenced in November 2025. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

1. The exercise resulted in nearly 6.5 crore names being removed from the draft electoral rolls of the covered States/UTs.
2. The Supreme Court Bench hearing the SIR petitions in January 2026 comprised CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
3. In its May 2026 judgment, the Supreme Court held that the Electoral Registration Officer can make a final and binding determination of an individual's citizenship.
4. House-to-house enumeration under SIR Phase II commenced in November 2025.

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 3 only
• C. 2 and 4 only
• D. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q3. With reference to the Supreme Court's verdict in Association for Democratic Reforms v. Election Commission of India (2026 INSC 564), consider the following statements: 1. The judgment upheld the constitutional validity of the Special Intensive Revision exercise. 2. The Court permitted the ECI to conduct a 'limited enquiry' into citizenship for the purpose of electoral roll verification. 3. An adverse outcome of the ECI's citizenship enquiry carries only electoral consequences and does not amount to a final declaration on citizenship. 4. The Court directed the Union Home Ministry to initiate deportation proceedings in every case where the ERO excludes a person on citizenship grounds. Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?

1. The judgment upheld the constitutional validity of the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
2. The Court permitted the ECI to conduct a 'limited enquiry' into citizenship for the purpose of electoral roll verification.
3. An adverse outcome of the ECI's citizenship enquiry carries only electoral consequences and does not amount to a final declaration on citizenship.
4. The Court directed the Union Home Ministry to initiate deportation proceedings in every case where the ERO excludes a person on citizenship grounds.

• A. 1 and 2 only
• B. 1, 2 and 3 only
• C. 2, 3 and 4 only
• D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q4. Which one of the following constitutional provisions was identified as the principal source of the Election Commission's authority to undertake the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, as relied upon by the Supreme Court in the SIR matter (2026)?

• A. Article 326 — adult suffrage
• B. Article 329 — bar to interference by courts in electoral matters
• C. Article 324 — superintendence, direction and control of elections
• D. Article 325 — single general electoral roll

Q5. In the context of the Supreme Court's ruling in 2026 INSC 564, the expression 'limited enquiry' by the Election Commission into citizenship is best described as:

• A. A conclusive adjudication of citizenship status, binding on all authorities including the Union government
• B. A verification confined to electoral roll inclusion whose adverse outcome carries only electoral consequences and is not a final determination of citizenship
• C. A statutory inquiry under the Citizenship Act, 1955 that can directly trigger deportation proceedings
• D. An always-mandatory inquiry that the ERO must complete before every general election irrespective of any complaint