According to Suri, he was told that his documents did not match and was asked to come back with additional proof of his Indian citizenship.
Published: August 23, 2026, 10:56 PM IST
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File photo of former diplomat Navdeep Suri, who represented India in UAE, Egypt and AustraliaImage Credit: @navdeepsuri/X
Former diplomat Navdeep Suri, a veteran of over three decades in public service, has run into a problem during the electoral roll revision process in PunjabHe was told that the details he submitted for 2003 did not match the records.
Former diplomat Navdeep Suri said he faced a discrepancy during the SIR exercise in PunjabHe said he submitted his Voter ID and Aadhaar card to the BLO and was told that his documents were in orderHowever, he later received a message from a volunteer informing him that some details did not match the 2003 SIR recordsSuri has previously served in Egypt, the UAE and Australia.
Suri, the former Indian envoy with service spanning from 1983 to 2019, said that after he was told that his documents did not match, he was asked to come again with documents that show he is an Indian citizenThis was after he had already submitted his voter ID card and Aadhaar card.
Detailing his ordeal on X, Suri said that since he was not in India in 2003, he was asked to submit his passport as proof.
.@ECISVEEP
I happen to have documents other than voter ID and Aadhaar cardBut can’t help asking:
If I have trouble establishing my citizenship after representing India in three countries, what’s the fate of the common citizen?
Ease of Living, I presume!— Navdeep Suri (@navdeepsuri) August 23, 2026
Pointing out that he faced difficulties despite serving as India’s representative in three countries, Suri questioned how common citizens would manage similar challengesHe asked, “If I have trouble establishing my citizenship after representing India in three countries, what’s the fate of the common citizen?”
All about the SIR
Bihar became the first state to undertake the SIR exercise in June 2025The revision resulted in the removal of over 60 lakh names from the electoral rolls, including those of voters who had diedIn West Bengal, 90 lakh names were removed from the rolls before the Assembly election.
The SIR needs voters who were not part of the 2002 or 2003 electoral rolls to give documentary proof linking them to people present in those legacy rollsInitially, the ECI prescribed 11 acceptable documents, excluding the Aadhaar.
Also Read | Delhi SIR BIG UPDATE: Election Commission revises schedule, final electoral roll to be out on THIS date
After the matter reached the Supreme Court, the poll body expanded the list to include AadhaarThe court had also made important observations underscoring the broader constitutional stakes.
While the ECI has the power to revise electoral rolls, the court said those powers cannot be “untrammelled” and must comply with the principles of transparency and natural justice.
