Ex-Diplomat Navdeep Suri Challenges Citizenship Proof During SIR Verification

Former Indian diplomat Navdeep Suri raised concerns about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Punjab after being asked to prove his citizenship. Despite submitting his voter ID and Aadhaar card, officials questioned discrepancies with 2003 electoral records. Suri, who was not in India at the time, provided his passport as proof. He worried about ordinary citizens without multiple documents. The SIR process, aimed at verifying voter details, has sparked criticism over potential hardships for genuine voters. The Supreme Court upheld its legality but barred the Election Commission from determining citizenship. Similar cases involving other public figures were reported. The exercise began in Bihar in 2025 and is now being conducted in 16 states and three Union territories.