UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Validating flaws

Q1. With reference to the legal framework of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, consider the following identifications: 1. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 — the statutory provision enabling a special revision of electoral rolls. 2. Article 324 of the Constitution — the source of the Election Commission's plenary powers of superintendence, direction and control. 3. Citizenship Act, 1955 — the law under whose competent authority disputed-citizenship deletions are to be adjudicated as directed by the Supreme Court. 4. Representation of the People Act, 1951 — the Act under which electoral rolls are prepared and Electoral Registration Officers exercise document discretion. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 — the statutory provision enabling a special revision of electoral rolls.
  2. Article 324 of the Constitution — the source of the Election Commission's plenary powers of superintendence, direction and control.
  3. Citizenship Act, 1955 — the law under whose competent authority disputed-citizenship deletions are to be adjudicated as directed by the Supreme Court.
  4. Representation of the People Act, 1951 — the Act under which electoral rolls are prepared and Electoral Registration Officers exercise document discretion.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q2. With reference to the legal underpinnings of the SIR as clarified by the Supreme Court, consider the following statements: 1. The SIR draws upon the Election Commission's powers under Article 324 of the Constitution. 2. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 permits a special revision of rolls at any time for reasons to be recorded. 3. Under the 2026 ruling, the Election Commission may conduct a general citizenship determination independent of electoral-roll inclusion or exclusion. 4. Electoral Registration Officers retain discretion to accept documents beyond the Commission's indicative list. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The SIR draws upon the Election Commission's powers under Article 324 of the Constitution.
  2. Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 permits a special revision of rolls at any time for reasons to be recorded.
  3. Under the 2026 ruling, the Election Commission may conduct a general citizenship determination independent of electoral-roll inclusion or exclusion.
  4. Electoral Registration Officers retain discretion to accept documents beyond the Commission's indicative list.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 2 and 3

Q3. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, whose constitutional validity was upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2026, is conducted and operationalised by which one of the following bodies?

  • A. Election Commission of India
  • B. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. State Election Commissions
  • D. Office of the Registrar General of India

Q4. In upholding the SIR, the Supreme Court held that the Election Commission may undertake a citizenship inquiry only for which one of the following limited purposes?

  • A. Deciding whether a person's name should be included in or excluded from the electoral roll
  • B. Determining nationality for the issuance of passports
  • C. Preparing and updating the National Register of Citizens
  • D. Reaching a final determination of citizenship binding on all authorities

Q5. With reference to the Bihar Special Intensive Revision of 2025, consider the following: 1. It was launched on 24 June 2025 with about 7.89 crore electors then on the rolls. 2. Electors added to the rolls after 2003 were required to submit at least one of a prescribed set of 11 documents. 3. The final electoral roll published on 30 September 2025 contained about 7.42 crore electors. 4. The Bihar exercise was completed only after the Supreme Court delivered its final verdict on SIR's constitutional validity. Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. It was launched on 24 June 2025 with about 7.89 crore electors then on the rolls.
  2. Electors added to the rolls after 2003 were required to submit at least one of a prescribed set of 11 documents.
  3. The final electoral roll published on 30 September 2025 contained about 7.42 crore electors.
  4. The Bihar exercise was completed only after the Supreme Court delivered its final verdict on SIR's constitutional validity.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q6. Comparing the Special Intensive Revision with a routine Summary Revision of electoral rolls, consider the following statements: 1. Unlike a Summary Revision, the SIR involved a door-to-door de novo enumeration in which existing electors had to submit fresh enumeration forms. 2. Both the SIR and a Summary Revision require every existing elector to fill and submit a fresh enumeration form afresh. 3. The draft roll under the Bihar SIR deleted about 65 lakh electors found to be absent, shifted or dead. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike a Summary Revision, the SIR involved a door-to-door de novo enumeration in which existing electors had to submit fresh enumeration forms.
  2. Both the SIR and a Summary Revision require every existing elector to fill and submit a fresh enumeration form afresh.
  3. The draft roll under the Bihar SIR deleted about 65 lakh electors found to be absent, shifted or dead.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. Comparing Phase 2 of the SIR with the earlier Bihar phase, consider the following statements: 1. Phase 2, announced in October 2025, extended the exercise to 12 States and Union Territories. 2. Phase 2 covered about 51 crore electors, more than half of those registered for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 3. Unlike the Bihar SIR, Phase 2 deliberately excluded all States and UTs due to hold Assembly elections by May 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Phase 2, announced in October 2025, extended the exercise to 12 States and Union Territories.
  2. Phase 2 covered about 51 crore electors, more than half of those registered for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
  3. Unlike the Bihar SIR, Phase 2 deliberately excluded all States and UTs due to hold Assembly elections by May 2026.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. With reference to the pattern of voter deletions during the Bihar SIR, consider the following statements: 1. Migration of electors who had permanently shifted overtook death as the leading recorded reason for proposed deletions. 2. Of about 56 lakh deletions in the Commission's data, roughly 20 lakh were of deceased electors and about 28 lakh of those who had permanently moved. 3. The Election Commission published a full district-wise, gender-disaggregated break-up of the deleted electors alongside the draft roll. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Migration of electors who had permanently shifted overtook death as the leading recorded reason for proposed deletions.
  2. Of about 56 lakh deletions in the Commission's data, roughly 20 lakh were of deceased electors and about 28 lakh of those who had permanently moved.
  3. The Election Commission published a full district-wise, gender-disaggregated break-up of the deleted electors alongside the draft roll.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q9. In the draft electoral roll published on 1 August 2025 under the Bihar SIR, approximately how many registered electors were deleted as 'absent', 'shifted' or 'dead'?

  • A. About 47 lakh
  • B. About 65 lakh
  • C. About 1.8 crore
  • D. About 2.93 crore

Q10. In its 2026 SIR verdict, the Supreme Court directed that persons deleted from the 2003 Bihar electoral roll on citizenship grounds be referred, within four weeks, to which authority for adjudication?

  • A. The competent authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955
  • B. The Foreigners Tribunals under the Foreigners Act, 1946
  • C. The Electoral Registration Officer under the Representation of the People Act, 1950
  • D. The National Human Rights Commission

Q11. Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the Selection Committee that recommends the appointment of the CEC and Election Commissioners is chaired by which one of the following?

  • A. The Chief Justice of India
  • B. The Prime Minister
  • C. The President of India
  • D. The Cabinet Secretary