---
title: "SC maintains 2002 base year for SIR in Sikkim, rejects NGO plea"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-upholds-2002-base-year-sir-sikkim-8aciv
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Politics
published: 2026-08-17T08:02:56.140Z
modified: 2026-08-17T10:00:07.799Z
language: en-IN
---

# SC maintains 2002 base year for SIR in Sikkim, rejects NGO plea

The Supreme Court refused to halt the Election Commission of India's decision to use 2002 as the base year for the Special Intensive Revision in Sikkim. The NGO petition argued the year 2002 data mismatches demographics; the court kept the base year consistent nationwide and directed potential exemp

## Key takeaways

- The Supreme Court did not intervene in the ECI's base-year choice for SIR in Sikkim.
- An NGO had sought to change the base year to 1993, citing demographic-data concerns.
- The court emphasized consistency with the nationwide base year and suggested pursuing exemptions with the ECI.

## What Happened

The Supreme Court stayed from interfering with the Election Commission of India's resolution to designate 2002 as the base year for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Sikkim. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana dismissed a public interest litigation filed by the NGO Sikkimese Mulniwasi Surakacha Sangh, which sought a direction to reconsider the base year as 1993 for Sikkim's ongoing SIR.

During proceedings, the bench stated that shifting the goalposts in the middle of the exercise was not justified. It noted that 2002 has been used as the base year for the entire country and that the court would not interfere with the ECI’s decision. The petitioner contended that 2002 electorate data do not align with Sikkim’s demographic data and could cause further anomalies.

The court added that voters enrolled in the 2002 electoral roll had participated in subsequent state elections. It observed that the ECI has uniformly applied 2002 as the base year across States because the last SIR occurred then. The bench suggested the petitioner could seek a reasonable exemption for Sikkim directly from the ECI. Justice Kant remarked that no other aggrieved party had approached the court, and warning against a precedent that would bind the court to intervene at NGO request.

## Why It Matters

The decision preserves a uniform base-year framework for SIR nationwide, preventing potential procedural disruptions in the revision process for Sikkim. By maintaining 2002 as the base year, the court reinforced consistency with the last SIR cycle and limited mid-process changes that could affect voter rolls and election administration in border states facing demographic shifts.

## Background

The case arose from a PIL filed by an NGO challenging the choice of 2002 as the base year for the SIR in Sikkim. The NGO argued demographic data in 2002 did not reflect population changes and that adopting it could create anomalies in the voter list. The ECI had fixed 2002 as the base year for all States, citing that the last SIR was conducted in 2002 and that voters enrolled then participated in later elections.

## Key Facts

- The Supreme Court on August 17, 2026, refused to interfere with the ECI’s decision to fix 2002 as the base year for SIR in Sikkim.

- A PIL filed by the NGO Sikkimese Mulniwasi Surakacha Sangh sought a base-year change to 1993 for Sikkim’s SIR.

- The bench comprised Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.

- The court said the goal posts cannot be shifted mid-exercise and that the ECI’s 2002 base year should stand.

- The ECI has uniformly kept 2002 as the base year for all States since it was the last SIR year.

- The petitioner argued 2002 data do not match Sikkim’s demographic data and could create anomalies.

- The court noted voters enrolled in 2002 participated in subsequent polls in the State.

- The bench suggested the NGO could seek a reasonable exemption for Sikkim from the ECI directly.

## What Happens Next

The court indicated the NGO may approach the ECI for a possible exemption specific to Sikkim, rather than reopening the base-year decision in court. There is no indication of any further judicial action on this matter at this time.

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/sc-upholds-2002-base-year-sir-sikkim-8aciv
Reported from: Multiple Sources