India's Special Intensive Revision of Voter List Sparks Controversy Amid Allegations of Disenfranchisement
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list is currently underway in nine Indian states and three union territories, with final updated electoral rolls expected by February 2026, after a delay from the initial early December deadline. The exercise has drawn significant criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups who argue that it disenfranchises poor and minority voters, particularly Muslims, and functions as a covert citizenship survey benefiting the BJP-led government.
In Bihar, a previous SIR exercise led to the removal of over 6.5 million voters. The Election Commission stated that these removals were due to death or migration, while opposition parties alleged that many removed were still alive, coinciding with a BJP landslide in the state election. In West Bengal, the revision process has been linked to the creation of fear among voters, causing significant stress and reportedly contributing to at least one suicide. The state government has also accused the process of being politically motivated to facilitate BJP's capture of the state.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has defended SIR as part of a "detect, delete and deport" strategy aimed at safeguarding democracy. The BJP denies any irregularities and frames the exercise as necessary to cleanse electoral rolls of infiltrators. Contrarily, Rahul Gandhi has accused the revision of being a means to steal votes and undermine democracy, providing what he describes as evidence of foul play.
Opposition-ruled states such as Tamil Nadu, governed by DMK, and Kerala, led by the CPI(M), have condemned the SIR. Kerala has passed a resolution against the exercise, describing it as a politically motivated citizenship survey. The debates around SIR highlight concerns over electoral fairness and the rights of marginalized communities in India.
