6 min readAug 22, 2026 06:41 AM IST First published on: Aug 22, 2026 at 06:40 AM ISTThe ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is proving to be a textbook example of how the Indian state keeps destabilising citizens’ lives. Earlier this week, this newspaper reported that tribunals in West Bengal are struggling to tackle cases arising out of the SIR (‘No full stops in Bengal SIR, Those “excluded” now in dark about what next’, IE, 17 August). There are also reports of growing numbers of “absent,” “shifted,” “dead” and “duplicate” citizens from each state where the exercise is going on. While the ECI may face the brunt of criticism and media attention on this count, it is important to remember that the Supreme Court has produced this impasse.The Court’s ruling in the SIR case in May 2026 is a reminder that the judiciary can, at times, become an enabler of state practices that harm citizens. ADR & Others vs ECI & Others offers a troubling roadmap for such an outcome: A refusal to position the judiciary as an effective arbiter between the power of the state and the rights of citizens. As we mourn the consequences for those affected by the SIR, we should not lose sight of the significance of the ruling itself. It may well prove to be a landmark judgment — not because it strengthened citizens’ rights, but because it demonstrated how the judiciary can enable the state at the expense of the citizen.