A panel of retired judges and lawyers will probe the SIR through nationwide hearings. Chaired by Madan B. Lokur, the group aims to collect data on voter roll changes. The commission said, "The commission aims to complete its inquiry on an intensive schedule," targeting a final report by December 2026.
A dedicated research wing would collate and analyse data regarding voter roll additions/deletions and present it before the commission, it said
Several retired judges and renowned lawyers, including MP Kapil Sibal, have announced an "independent commission" under the banner of the "Lawyers Association for Constitution" to probe the SIR.
In a statement, the group said the five-member commission would be chaired by former Supreme Court judge Madan B. Lokur and have as members former top court judge A.K. Patnaik, former Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Badar Durrez Ahmad, and former judges of Delhi and Patna high courts Rekha Sharma and Anjana Prakash.
It said the panel would organise nationwide public hearings under which "full and regional benches of the commission will... hear testimony directly from affected citizens, civil society groups, and experts".
A dedicated research wing would collate and analyse data regarding voter roll additions/deletions and present it before the commission, it said.
"Senior legal practitioners, including Kapil Sibal, Prashant Bhushan, Chander Uday Singh, Prashanto Chandra Sen, Raju Ramachandran, Rebecca Mammen John, Warisha Farasat, Vrinda Grover, etc, will provide strategic legal advice.... The commission aims to complete its inquiry on an intensive schedule, with a target to release its final report to the public by December 2026," the statement said.