UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — EC will always be with voters: CEC after SC upholds SIR

Q1. In the Supreme Court's SIR judgment, the 'rebuttable presumption' operating in favour of a person whose name already appears on the electoral roll means which one of the following?

  • A. The elector is presumed to be validly enrolled, but the Election Commission may still verify and displace that presumption on the basis of material
  • B. The elector is conclusively proved to be a citizen and enrolment can never be reopened by the Commission
  • C. Every fresh applicant is presumed to be a citizen unless the applicant proves otherwise before the Registrar General
  • D. The burden lies on the Election Commission to positively prove the citizenship of each existing elector at every revision

Q2. The 'Special Intensive Revision' (SIR) of electoral rolls, as carried out from 2025, is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A de novo, house-to-house exercise in which electors submit fresh enumeration forms and the roll is prepared afresh
  • B. A routine annual summary revision in which only claims and objections on the existing roll are invited
  • C. An exercise conducted by the Registrar General of India to update the National Population Register
  • D. A door-to-door survey by State authorities to prepare electoral rolls for panchayat and municipal elections

Q3. The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation and revision of electoral rolls for Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies during SIR is vested in which one of the following?

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

Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the nationwide SIR launched in 2025 with the earlier Bihar SIR: 1. The nationwide SIR covered multiple States and Union Territories, whereas the SIR that immediately preceded it was confined to Bihar. 2. Like the Bihar exercise, the nationwide SIR involved house-to-house distribution and collection of enumeration forms by Booth Level Officers. 3. Both the Bihar SIR and the nationwide SIR were conducted under State-specific legislation rather than the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The nationwide SIR covered multiple States and Union Territories, whereas the SIR that immediately preceded it was confined to Bihar.
  2. Like the Bihar exercise, the nationwide SIR involved house-to-house distribution and collection of enumeration forms by Booth Level Officers.
  3. Both the Bihar SIR and the nationwide SIR were conducted under State-specific legislation rather than the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The following are stated to have been covered under the nationwide (second-phase) Special Intensive Revision launched in 2025: 1. West Bengal; 2. Kerala; 3. Rajasthan; 4. Bihar. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a State covered in this nationwide phase?

  1. West Bengal
  2. Kerala
  3. Rajasthan
  4. Bihar
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1 and 3
  • D. 4 only

Q6. As presently constituted, the Election Commission of India functions as a body consisting of how many members?

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

Q7. The principal statute enacted by Parliament governing the preparation and revision of electoral rolls for Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies is the Representation of the People Act of which year?

  • A. 1950
  • B. 1951
  • C. 1935
  • D. 1988

Q8. Consider the following statements about the security of tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs) under the 2023 law: 1. The CEC can be removed only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court. 2. An Election Commissioner can be removed only on the recommendation of the CEC. 3. Under the 2023 Act, both the CEC and the ECs are eligible for re-appointment for a further term. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The CEC can be removed only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
  2. An Election Commissioner can be removed only on the recommendation of the CEC.
  3. Under the 2023 Act, both the CEC and the ECs are eligible for re-appointment for a further term.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, the 'Search Committee' is best described as which one of the following?

  • A. A committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary that prepares a panel of names for consideration by the Selection Committee
  • B. The committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister and the Leader of Opposition that recommends appointees to the President
  • C. A collegium of Supreme Court judges that vets and clears the candidates before appointment
  • D. A parliamentary standing committee that confirms the appointee after a hearing

Q10. For each Parliamentary or Assembly constituency, the statutory authority responsible for the preparation and revision of the electoral roll—whether by intensive or summary revision—is which one of the following?

  • A. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)
  • B. The District Election Officer (DEO)
  • C. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the State
  • D. The Returning Officer (RO)

Q11. The right to vote at elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of universal adult suffrage is conferred by which one of the following provisions of the Constitution?

  • A. Article 326
  • B. Article 324
  • C. Article 325
  • D. Article 19(1)(a)