Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has declined the request of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge for a meeting to discuss issues relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, citing the pendency of related matters before the Supreme Court.

As per sources, in his response to the official emails sent by the Opposition leaders, the CJI conveyed that such a meeting would be inappropriate since the issues they sought to raise were already sub judice before the Court. He is also understood to have clarified that, under the constitutional scheme, the Supreme Court cannot interfere with the functioning of the executive on its administrative side, while the leaders remain free to approach the Court on its judicial side.

The Opposition leaders were informed that any petition filed by an Opposition member could be heard alongside similar matters concerning the SIR exercise already listed before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had announced that Opposition parties would march to the Supreme Court and submit a memorandum to the CJI seeking withdrawal of the SIR exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

A Bench led by CJI Surya Kant had, in May 2026, upheld the Election Commission of India’s power to conduct the SIR. The Bench is also hearing petitions challenging certain decisions of the Chief Election Commissioner that are alleged to have been taken without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners.