Intellectuals, lawyers urge end to Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
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New Delhi: A coalition of intellectuals, lawyers, students, and social activists has demanded the immediate scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, deeming it a violation of citizens' rights. They called for sticking with the previous rolls and conducting elections on that basis.
The appeal emerged from a seminar hosted by human rights group Jan Hastakshep at the Press Club of India on Saturday. Attendees included former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, former Delhi University professor Badri Raina, and Press Club president Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, per an organiser's release.
A unanimous resolution demanded halting the SIR nationwide, including in West Bengal. It urged swift resolution of deletion appeals to safeguard voting rights, or reverting to the 2025 updated rolls. Failure to act, it warned, would render the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections meaningless.
The resolution stressed redefining SIR clearly: the Election Commission should add names to voter lists without verifying citizenship, a duty of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Seminar convenor was JNU's Vikas Bajpei; co-convenor was journalist Anil Dubey.
(Inputs from PTI)