After completing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, where more than six lakh voters reportedly lost their franchise as they failed to furnish documents proving their citizenship, drawing strong criticism from opposition parties, the Election Commission has announced the commencement of a similar exercise in 12 states and Union Territories, raising concerns over the possible deletion of eligible voters for want of proper documentation.
The Election Commission said that the second phase of the SIR, which follows the conclusion of the Bihar exercise last month, will be carried out in Goa, Puducherry, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. The process will begin on 4 November, with the draft rolls to be published on 9 December and the final rolls on 7 February, The Wire reported.
The decision has sparked sharp reactions from opposition-ruled states, particularly Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, which are due for elections in 2025. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the timing of the revision, arguing that it undermines the democratic process as the state is preparing for its local body elections.
He maintained that conducting the revision based on outdated lists before the polls could lead to widespread exclusion and called for collective resistance to the move.
The inclusion of Kerala in the SIR comes despite the state’s chief electoral officer reportedly advising the Election Commission to defer the exercise until after the local body elections. However, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar maintained that since the election notification had not yet been issued, the revision could proceed.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed concern that holding the SIR during the monsoon months of November and December would create practical difficulties and accused the poll body of acting in haste, describing the move as politically motivated.
He pointed out that following the SIR in Bihar, large numbers of women, minorities, and members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were deleted from the rolls, heightening fears of targeted disenfranchisement. Stalin also announced that an all-party meeting would be convened on 2 November to decide on the next course of action.
In West Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the SIR amounted to silent rigging, questioning why the exercise had been announced in his state while excluding Assam and other north-eastern states, many of which share borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar.