Supreme Court judge says disenfranchising millions violates Article 14 and Article 326
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Constitution, amendments & basic structure· Prelims + Mains·
Basic Structure and Fundamental Rights: a GS2 case study on the constitutional sanctity of the right to vote.
Why in news
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Supreme Court stated that disenfranchising millions of Indian citizens violates Article 14 and Article 326, arguing that voting is central to the Basic Structure doctrine.
Background
The Supreme Court observation follows a May ruling upholding the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision. Opposition parties have demanded the restoration of 13 crore names excluded from draft rolls across three phases.
Facts for Prelims
- Fact13 crore names were reportedly excluded from draft rolls across three phases.
Prelims practice question
With reference to the Supreme Court's observations on voter disenfranchisement, consider the following statements:
- The Supreme Court upheld the exclusion of 20 crore names from the draft rolls.
- Disenfranchising millions of citizens violates Article 14 and Article 326.
- The right to vote is considered a component of the Basic Structure doctrine.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a)2 only
- (b)1 and 2 only
- (c)1 and 3 only
- (d)2 and 3 only
Show answer
Answer: (d) 2 and 3 only — Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: The note states 13 crore names were reportedly excluded.
For Mains
Q. Examine the constitutional implications of voter disenfranchisement and discuss the significance of the right to vote as a component of the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Constitutional conflict: Balancing the integrity of electoral rolls against the fundamental right to equality under Article 14.
- Institutional oversight: The role of the Election Commission in ensuring inclusive representation during Special Intensive Revisions.
- Democratic integrity: Ensuring that administrative exclusions do not lead to large-scale systemic disenfranchisement of eligible voters.
Keywords: Basic Structure Doctrine · Right to Equality · Universal Adult Franchise · Electoral Roll Integrity · Constitutionalism
More Polity & Constitution notes
- SC rules against complete Delhi Metro prohibition to balance safety with commuter rights · 10 October 2026
- PIL seeks writ of mandamus to fill vacancies in 14 Maharashtra government bodies · 10 October 2026
- MP High Court strikes down law increasing OBC reservation from 14% to 27% · 10 October 2026
- ECI caps voter deletion requests at 10 after Karnataka bulk filing controversy · 10 October 2026
- Tamil Nadu files Supreme Court affidavit accusing Karnataka of resource hoarding · 10 October 2026
- Kerala government to request President return Private Universities Bill via Article 201 · 9 October 2026
Something wrong, or something missing?
Spotted a mistake in a note, or want a topic, format or PDF that would help your preparation? Write to us. We read every mail and fix errors fast.
This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.