SIR ‘flawed, mala fide, calibrated distortion’; civil society calls for immediate halt

The SIR process being held across the country, which has already seen marginalised communities, including Adivasis, Dalits, migrant workers, women and minority communities like Muslims, stripped en masse of their voting franchise, has triggered a menace cascading through the basic structure of democracy, prompting civil society representatives to call out the process, describing it as “unconstitutional, undemocratic, non-transparent and unscientific” and “flawed and mala fide.”

In a joint press statement, coordinated by Tara Rao, Nadeem Khan and Manthan, over 250 signatories—including former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy, political economist Parakala Prabhakar, activist Nikhil Dey, Yogendra Yadav, MLA Jignesh Mewani, actor Prakash Raj and activist Teesta Setalvad, have demanded the immediate cessation of the process.

The statement advances a grave charge that, since its introduction in June 2025, SIR has disenfranchised nearly 6.5 crore rightful voters across 13 states, thereby constituting what it terms a systemic dismantling of universal adult franchise under the guise of electoral revision.

It cites West Bengal as a stark instance, where 35 lakh voters seeking adjudication were allegedly denied verification and consequently excluded from electoral rolls, reinforcing what the signatories describe as a pattern of mass denial.

The critique underscores that those disproportionately excluded comprise structurally vulnerable communities—women, migrant labourers, nomadic groups, Adivasis, Dalits and religious minorities—arguing that such exclusion is neither incidental nor procedural aberration but a calibrated distortion that undermines the pluralistic fabric of the republic.

While interrogating the Election Commission of India’s justification of identifying “infiltrators,” the statement asserts that the process has failed even on its stated objectives, and instead functioned as an instrument of exclusion.

It further expresses deep disappointment with the Supreme Court of India for its perceived inability thus far to safeguard constitutional guarantees, urging that the pending adjudication on SIR’s validity be concluded prior to any further electoral exercise.

Among its demands, the coalition calls for an immediate nationwide halt to SIR, a comprehensive audit of completed phases, and the formulation of stringent verification protocols aligned with CAG standards before any continuation.

It also seeks the reconstitution of the Election Commission through Parliamentary oversight, alleging institutional partisanship, and warns of an impending nationwide agitation should constitutional norms continue to be disregarded.