Article 324 Current Affairs for UPSC

The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that an Indian passport is a document issued under the Passports Act, 1967 to "regulate the departure" of Indian citizens from the country, and not a proof of citizenship, with less than 8 per cent of Indian citizens currently holding one. The clarification, made amid the debate over documents accepted as proof of citizenship during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, has drawn sharp political reactions. This article explains the MEA's position, the Passports Act 1967, citizenship law under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and Articles 5–11, the SIR exercise, and the Supreme Court's rulings, for UPSC Prelims and Mains.

On 27 May 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as constitutionally valid under Article 324, but ruled that the EC's citizenship scrutiny cannot be the final word — doubtful cases must go to the competent authority under the Citizenship Act, 1955. This article explains the SIR exercise, the constitutional basis under Articles 324–326, the Representation of the People Act 1950, the distinction between electoral eligibility and citizenship, the proportionality test, key data on deleted voters, and the safeguards mandated by the Court — covering everything UPSC aspirants need on this landmark verdict.