INDIA Bloc Unites Against ECI Over SIR, Electoral Rolls; Kharge Seeks CEC’s Removal

New Delhi, Sep 30 : Opposition INDIA bloc parties on Wednesday began a crucial meeting in New Delhi to formulate a coordinated political and legal response to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleged irregularities in voter lists and concerns over the functioning of the poll panel.

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, while opening the meeting, demanded greater accountability from the Election Commission and called for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The meeting was attended by representatives of several INDIA bloc constituents, including the Indian National Congress, Samajwadi Party, All India Trinamool Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, CPI(ML), Indian Union Muslim League, Kerala Congress (M), MDMK, VCK, RSP, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and All India Forward Bloc.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X that the parties had come together to protect the Constitution and address concerns over electoral-roll revisions and the electoral process.

Kharge said the principle of “one person, one vote, one value” was central to India’s democratic system and alleged that it was facing serious challenges amid concerns raised by Opposition parties and citizens.

He referred to allegations raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding electoral-roll irregularities in Mahadevpura, Aland, Haryana and Maharashtra, and said the Opposition had repeatedly sought greater transparency from the Election Commission.

A major focus of Kharge’s address was the SIR exercise. While acknowledging the Election Commission’s stated objective of updating and cleaning electoral rolls, he expressed concern that genuine voters could be excluded during the revision process.

Kharge claimed that 13.3 crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls and demanded complete disclosure of the names deleted and the reasons for each deletion. The figure and the characterisation of the exclusions remain part of the Opposition’s political claim and have been disputed in the wider debate over the SIR exercise.

Questioning the independence and accountability of the Election Commission, Kharge invoked Article 324 of the Constitution and criticised the functioning of the poll panel. He also questioned the 2023 law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, particularly the replacement of the Chief Justice of India with a Union minister in the selection committee.

Kharge further reiterated the Opposition’s concerns over electronic voting machines and called for a return to ballot papers, arguing that this would help restore public confidence in the electoral process.

The meeting also focused on young and first-time voters. Kharge criticised what he described as unnecessary procedural hurdles in voter registration and called for simpler and more accessible procedures for citizens becoming eligible to vote.

Kharge placed six broad demands before the INDIA bloc: use of the pre-SIR electoral roll for future elections; complete transparency in electoral-roll revisions, including constituency-wise and booth-wise details of additions, deletions and corrections; prior notice, reasons and an effective appeal mechanism before deletion of legitimate voters; safeguards against exclusion caused by administrative failures or inadequate documentation; voting through ballot papers instead of EVMs; and simplified registration procedures for young and first-time voters.

The Opposition parties are also expected to discuss a coordinated programme of political and legal action on electoral reforms, SIR and the functioning and independence of the Election Commission.

The meeting comes amid an intensifying political dispute over electoral-roll revisions. While Opposition parties have raised concerns about possible exclusion of genuine voters, the Election Commission has maintained that SIR is aimed at identifying and removing ineligible entries and ensuring accurate electoral rolls. The poll panel has also outlined procedures for notices, hearings and claims and objections during the revision process.

The INDIA bloc is expected to work towards a common position on electoral-roll revisions, voter registration, the appointment and accountability of election commissioners, and the use of EVMs.

Addressing the meeting, Kharge said the alliance should emerge with a clear programme of action, stressing that electoral transparency and the voting rights of citizens were central to the functioning of India’s democracy.