ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today strongly backed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting in the Lok Sabha that the Constitution empowers the Election Commission—not the government—to conduct the exercise. Calling SIR a necessary step to “purify the voter list,” he dismissed the Opposition’s criticism as misinformation aimed at damaging the credibility of the country, the government, and the Election Commission.
Shah accused the Opposition, particularly the Congress, of double standards—arguing that they question the Election Commission only when they lose elections. He reiterated the NDA’s stance of “detect, delete and deport” illegal intruders, claiming the Opposition wants to retain them on voter lists for political gain. After Opposition parties staged a walkout, Shah maintained that no infiltrator would be allowed to vote.
He also alleged that several Opposition-ruled states were obstructing the SIR process. Countering accusations of “vote theft,” Shah referenced the 1975 Allahabad High Court verdict against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He stressed that SIR has a long history, with the first such exercise conducted in 1952 during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure.
Shah highlighted reforms introduced by the NDA, including the 2023 law establishing a transparent system for appointing Chief Election Commissioners via a three-member committee. He criticised the Opposition for moving an impeachment motion against a Madras High Court judge—a first in independent India.
During the debate, several Opposition members argued that SIR had become arbitrary, chaotic, and vulnerable to political misuse, while government MPs defended its necessity and effectiveness. The heated exchanges culminated in the House being adjourned for the day.
After the Opposition staged a walkout, Mr Shah said that their boycott would make no difference, asserting that not a single infiltrator would be allowed to vote in the elections. He said the main concern of the opposition parties is that they want to keep illegal residents and intruders on the voter list.
He accused the Opposition-ruled states of not cooperating with the Election Commission in carrying out the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
During his speech, Mr Shah strongly objected to the opposition vote theft allegations, accusing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi did vote-chori when she won elections from Rae Bareily, and the Allahabad High Court ruled that the elections were unfair. Justifying the ongoing SIR exercise, Mr Shah informed the House that the first SIR was conducted in the year 1952 when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister.
He said that, after 2004, the SIR exercise has now been undertaken in several States and Union Territories. He said no party ever opposed an in-depth investigation of SIR until 2004. Mr.
Shah said, in the last 73 years, there was no law to select an Election Commissioner, and the Prime Minister used to directly select the poll body chief. He said the Election Commission functioned as a one-person panel from 1950 to 1989, and a multi-member panel was introduced to govern the poll panel from 1989 to 91.
He said, NDA made a law in 2023 to bring transparency in the selection process of Chief Election Commissioners by constituting a three-member committee headed by the Prime Minister. The committee comprises a minister chosen by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr Shah also slammed Opposition parties for bringing an impeachment motion against Madras High Court Judge GR Swaminathan, saying this has happened for the first time in independent India that the Opposition has brought an impeachment motion against a High Court Judge.
Earlier, participating in the discussion, NK Premachandran of RSP opposed the manner in which the electoral reforms are being carried out across the country. He alleged that the SIR has turned into a chaotic, arbitrary process that threatens the integrity of electoral rolls. Harsimrat Kaur Badal of SAD said the Election Commission should be impartial.
She also suggested making the election manifesto by political parties as legal documents. Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM alleged that SIR is a malicious exercise of power to selectively disenfranchise on the basis of religion.
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said it is the outcome of the electoral reforms undertaken during the Narendra Modi government that this time in Bihar assembly elections and the general elections of 2024, no re-poll was ordered. He said polls are not won by money, but by winning the trust of people.
Congress leader K C Venugopal said the right to vote is a fundamental principle of democracy. He alleged that the Election Commission was partisan.
He also alleged that just before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the accounts of the Congress party were frozen, citing a delay in filing income tax returns. He also spoke about the large-scale deletion of voters in Bihar. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, whenever the Opposition loses, they raise questions about the electoral process.
He said, even after so many rallies in Bihar by Congress and criticising the SIR, it only managed to win just a few seats in the assembly polls. Mr Prasad said there is a need for introspection for the Congress party and their allies, and they should not question the Election Commission.
Shatabdi Roy of Trinamool Congress alleged that SIR is being conducted to harass people, and it is politically motivated. She also alleged that BLOs are losing lives due to SIR in West Bengal.
Ms Roy said, if Bangladeshis and Rohingyas are entering India, then it is the failure of the Centre. Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party said that the Election Commission should be impartial, alleging that the poll body is working at the behest of the Government.
Union Minister and Apna Dal (S) Leader Anupriya Patel said, SIR is an important issue to identify those who are living illegally in the country. She said Congress is trying to hide its defeat in the elections by raising the issue in the Parliament.
She also alleged that the opposition is supporting the infiltrators to undermine the functioning of the Election Commission.
Kangana Ranaut of the BJP said the opposition did not let the house work and resorted to all kinds of tricks to disrupt on SIR. She said the Modi government is working for the poor and the farmers.
Mian Altaf Ahmad of the National Conference said that the Election Commission should take every step to ensure that every part of the electoral process is clean. He said the Election Commission should ensure that innocent people do not die because of unnecessary pressure.
Vijay Kumar Hansdak of JMM said several parties had approached the Commission about lapses in the electoral process with proof. He said, but no action was taken on their complaints. Later, the House was adjourned for the day.