Proposed resolution:

This wording is relative to N4944.

1. Modify [ranges.syn] as indicated:

   -1- The range concept defines the requirements of a type that allows iteration over its elements by providing an iterator and sentinel that denote the elements of the range.

   template<class T>
     concept range =
       requires(T& t) {
         ranges::begin(t); // sometimes equality-preserving (see below)
         ranges::end(t);
       };
   

   -2- The required expressions ranges::begin(t) and ranges::end(t) of the range concept do not require implicit expression variations ([concepts.equality]).

   -3- […]

[ 2023-06-17 Approved at June 2023 meeting in Varna. Status changed: Voting → WP. ]

[ 2023-05-24; Reflector poll ]

Set status to Tentatively Ready after six votes in favour during reflector poll.

Originally editorial issue Editorial issue #4431.

Expression variations kick in for "an expression that is non-modifying for some constant lvalue operand", but std::ranges::range's is an non-constant lvalue, so [range.range] p2 is redundant.

I suppose that the change that clarified the template parameters' cv-qualification for purposes of equality-preservation and requiring additional variations happened concurrently with the change of std::ranges::range's operand from a forwarding reference to a non-constant lvalue reference.