New Delhi, October 1: Congress on Thursday intensified its criticism of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, saying concerns over the electoral process were gaining wider attention and asserting that citizens would not accept what the party describes as “vote chori”.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the INDIA bloc remained committed to protecting the Constitution and democratic institutions. His remarks came a day after opposition parties announced a joint programme of protests and rallies over the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.
Ramesh referred to comments attributed to former Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat, who has questioned aspects of the SIR process and the functioning of the poll panel. Citing Rawat’s remarks, Ramesh claimed that the exercise had resulted in a large number of eligible voters losing their names from electoral rolls.
The Congress leader also raised questions over the functioning of the three-member Election Commission. He referred to reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections to several decisions concerning the SIR process.
An investigation published by The Indian Express reported that Sandhu and Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over a 10-month period to decisions and orders concerning the electoral-roll revision.
The Election Commission, however, has maintained that differences of opinion are a normal part of institutional deliberations and that its decisions and orders have legal backing and follow established procedures. The poll panel has also taken steps to review its voter-roll software following concerns raised over changes to electoral data.
Ramesh further referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations concerning changes to Form 6, which is used for applications relating to inclusion of names in electoral rolls. He alleged that changes made to the process were intended to remove young voters from electoral lists and attributed the move to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These remain allegations made by Congress and have not been established as fact.
The latest Congress statement came after the INDIA bloc held a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday involving leaders from 19 opposition parties. The meeting focused on the SIR controversy, the functioning of the Election Commission and the opposition’s broader concerns regarding electoral processes.
Following the meeting, the opposition alliance announced a coordinated campaign beginning October 2. District-level “Save Democracy” marches and demonstrations will be held from October 2 to 8, with opposition parties planning to involve their workers, young people and civil society groups.
The INDIA bloc has also decided that opposition MPs will march to the Election Commission in New Delhi on October 6. Alliance leaders plan to seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October to present their concerns regarding electoral-roll revisions and other issues.
The opposition grouping has additionally announced plans for five major rallies, including a larger programme in Delhi. The parties have demanded action over the SIR exercise and called for the restoration of earlier electoral rolls for future elections. They have also sought quicker hearings in the Supreme Court on cases concerning SIR and alleged electoral irregularities.
Another issue discussed at the INDIA bloc meeting was the method of voting. Opposition parties reiterated their demand for ballot-paper voting in future elections. The proposal forms part of their broader campaign concerning transparency and confidence in the electoral process.
The controversy surrounding SIR has intensified in recent weeks following reports of internal differences within the Election Commission. According to The Indian Express, the two Election Commissioners had raised objections on several occasions regarding decisions connected with the electoral-roll revision.
The reported disagreements have become a major point of discussion for opposition parties, which have questioned whether decisions taken during the SIR process received the required institutional consideration.
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions that internal differences compromise the validity of its decisions. It has said that discussions and differing views among commissioners are part of the normal functioning of an institution and that final orders are issued under the applicable legal framework.
The SIR exercise itself involves verification and revision of electoral rolls, making the process significant for determining the names appearing on voter lists. The debate has consequently focused on how voters whose names are affected can establish their eligibility and ensure that their details are correctly reflected.
For Congress, the issue has become part of a larger campaign centred on electoral transparency and the functioning of democratic institutions. Ramesh said the growing public discussion over the issue showed that concerns about the electoral system could not be ignored.
The INDIA bloc’s decision to coordinate protests marks a further escalation of its campaign. The alliance intends to take its concerns beyond Parliament through district-level demonstrations, a march to the Election Commission and representations to constitutional authorities.
The opposition’s programme will unfold alongside the Election Commission’s ongoing handling of questions surrounding voter-roll revisions. The poll panel has said that established procedures are being followed, while opposition parties continue to demand greater transparency and accountability.
With the nationwide marches scheduled to begin on October 2, the SIR controversy is set to remain a major political and institutional issue in the coming days.