Process disenfranchising millions, turning them to second class citizens is arbitrary, says Justice Bhuyan

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday (October 4, 2026) said any process disenfranchising millions, making them second class citizens without the right to vote, was intrinsically arbitrary, and violative of universal adult suffrage and right to equality.

Speaking at NALSAR, Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan said no amount of whataboutery could justify the exclusion of voters en masse from the electoral rolls as such an action was fatal to the Constitution.

The serving apex court judge’s remarks have come amid widespread student and youth agitations for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has so far led to the deletion of approximately 13.3 crore voters from the electoral rolls.