India, May 27 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Election Commission of India's authority to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, observing that the exercise promotes the constitutional objective of ensuring free and fair elections.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant ruled that the poll panel acted within its statutory powers while undertaking the electoral roll revision process and rejected claims that the exercise exceeded its legal mandate.

"We are unable to conclude that the impugned exercise is a process resorted to solely for administrative convenience. On the contrary, we hold that the electoral SIR advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections," the bench said.

The...