Lawyers’ group announces independent panel of ex-judges to enquire into SIR aftermath

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A lawyers’ group issued a statement on Friday (October 2, 2026) announcing the constitution of an independent panel of former Supreme Court and High Court judges to enquire into growing concerns raised by citizens regarding the design, implementation, and consequences of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls undertaken by the Election Commission. File | Photo Credit: Sudhakara Jain

A lawyers’ group issued a statement on Friday (October 2, 2026) announcing the constitution of an independent panel of former Supreme Court and High Court judges to enquire into growing concerns raised by citizens regarding the design, implementation, and consequences of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls undertaken by the Election Commission.

The Lawyers Association for Constitution (LAFC) said the five-member panel would be chaired by former apex court judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur, and comprise retired Supreme Court judge, Justice A.K. Patnaik; Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad, former Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court; and former High Court judges Rekha Sharma and Anjana Prakash.

The panel would independently evaluate the “constitutional and statutory validity, methodology, and overall impact of the SIR exercise on eligible voters”.

The statement, issued through the association media coordinator advocate Subhash Chandran, said the panel aims to come up with a report by December 2026 after holding nationwide public hearings, empirical and field research along with legal scrutiny of relevant laws and notifications.

Senior lawyers such as Kapil Sibal, C.U. Singh, Vrinda Grover, Raju Ramachandran, Prashant Bhushan, Parishad Farasat, Rebecca Mammen John and Prashanto Chandra Sen would provide strategic legal advice.

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