Post by : Shakul

The Supreme Court of India on February 23, 2026 directed the district election officer (DEO) to ensure that people who have lost their homes and now lack a clear residential address after demolition drives can still be included in the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was hearing a petition regarding the difficulties faced by residents of Akbar Nagar in Lucknow, where many houses were demolished for alleged unauthorised construction and encroachment. The petition highlighted that residents who no longer had an “identifiable abode” might be unable to register or update their voting details because of missing or demolished addresses.

In response, the Supreme Court emphasised that people affected by demolitions or similar actions should not be disenfranchised. The court said that such persons facing address issues can approach the district election officer to be included or verified in the voter lists prepared during the SIR, which is a nationwide process to update and clean up electoral rolls ahead of elections.

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls allows eligible citizens to file claims for inclusion, correction, or objection and ensures that omissions or errors in the draft list are addressed before the final voter list is published. Officials and district election officers have been instructed to assist voters in the revision process and help people complete forms such as Form 6 for new inclusion.

The court’s direction reflects concerns that administrative actions like demolition drives — even when legally justified — should not prevent citizens from exercising their right to vote, a fundamental democratic right. The inclusion aims to balance civic participation with urban and land management policies as electoral rolls continue to be updated across states.

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