Congress Labels SIR Voter Revision a “Shah-Instigated Removal”

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh contended that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a “Shah Instigated Removal” of voters and an “assault on our Constitution.” He said Phase 1 began in Bihar in June 2025, Phase 2 in November 2025 across nine states and three Union Territories, and Phase 3 started in mid-2026 in 16 states and three Union Territories. Ramesh alleged that the process disproportionately affects economically and socially disadvantaged voters and that, in most major states, more women than men have been removed.

Hindustan Times

• 7.8 crore names deleted in Phases 1 and 2, representing 13 % of the pre-SIR roll.

Congress calls SIR 'Shah Instigated Removal', flags large-scale voter deletions

• In the ongoing phase covering 12 states and two Union Territories, 6.18 crore of 36.06 crore voters have been deleted, a deletion rate of over 17 %.

Congress calls SIR 'Shah Instigated Removal', flags large-scale voter deletions

• 5.43 crore voters have received notices demanding additional documentation, creating a risk-deletion rate of about 15 %.

Hindustan Times

• Combined, 32 % of voters (roughly one in three) have either been deleted or face deletion risk.

Hindustan Times

State-wise impact cited includes Delhi (53.73 %), Chandigarh (52.58 %), Jharkhand (39.57 %), Uttarakhand (35.71 %), Meghalaya (35.36 %), Maharashtra (33.88 %), Telangana (48 %), Karnataka (27.6 %), Haryana (37.5 %), Odisha (23.67 %), Andhra Pradesh (21.17 %) and Punjab (15.23 %).

Hindustan Times

The Election Commission of India maintains that the SIR, conducted after a 22-year gap, is intended to remove ineligible and duplicate entries while ensuring that all eligible citizens remain on the rolls. It has rejected Congress’s allegation that the exercise targets voters opposed to the ruling party.

Congress calls SIR 'Shah Instigated Removal', flags large-scale voter deletions

Ramesh noted that lists of voters facing deletion risk were made publicly available in Karnataka, Telangana and Jharkhand. He claimed Delhi released its list only on September 19, 2026, after public pressure, while other BJP-ruled states and Punjab have not done so.

Hindustan Times

• “The deletion rate works out to over 17% 2. An additional 5.43 crore voters have been issued notices demanding additional documentation to have their names retained on the electoral roll. The risk of deletion rate works to another 15%. This is an unusually high proportion that reflects structural flaws in the entire SIR process,” — Jairam, congress general secretary

Congress calls SIR 'Shah Instigated Removal', flags large-scale voter deletions

• “Thus, a staggering 32% (or about one in three) of voters have had their names deleted or face risk of deletion,” — Jairam, congress general secretary

Congress calls SIR 'Shah Instigated Removal', flags large-scale voter deletions

• “SIR is actually a Shah Instigated Removal of voters on a massive scale. Here is a statement on this brazen assault on our Constitution itself.” — Jairam Ramesh, congress general secretary

Hindustan Times