Full Breakdown
SIR Controversy Escalates: Election Commission Faces Opposition and Internal Dissent
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls
The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on June 24 2025 to purge dead, duplicate or ineligible entries. The exercise, now underway in all states and union territories, has removed more than 13 crore names from draft rolls across 30 jurisdictions. Voters flagged as “unmapped” or with “logical discrepancies” must submit additional documentation, traditionally through in-person hearings.
Timeline
- June 24 2025 – Nationwide SIR order issued (unanimously approved).
- May 27 2026 – Supreme Court upholds the SIR order.
- Sept 23 2026 – Reports that Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised 14 objections over SIR decisions.
- Sept 26 2026 – ECI press note confirms unanimous approval of all SIR decisions, announces doorstep document collection, limited hearings and extends claim-filing deadlines.
- Oct 30 2026 (scheduled) – Deadline for filing claims and objections in Delhi.
- Sept 29 2026 (scheduled) – Congress Working Committee meeting.
- Sept 30 2026 (scheduled) – INDIA bloc parties convene in New Delhi.
Data & Statistics
- 13 crore voters deleted from draft rolls.
- SIR completed in 20 states/UTs as of Sept 26 2026.
- In Delhi, more than 33 lakh voters received notices for “logical discrepancies”.
- Deadline extensions: claims until Oct 30 2026 (Delhi) and Oct 12 2026 (Maharashtra); disposal of notices until Nov 30 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
The ECI stressed that all SIR decisions had the unanimous approval of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi, and that the Supreme Court had upheld the order. Booth-Level Officers will now collect documents at voters’ homes, limiting in-person hearings to exceptional cases. A senior-deputy-commissioner-led committee, including an independent IIT/IIIT expert, will review the ECINET portal for compliance.
BJP leaders defended the commission. Senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned “baseless allegations” by the Congress, and Union minister Chirag Paswan said the clarification “strengthens public trust in democracy.”
Criticism & Opposition
Congress officials describe the SIR as systematic disenfranchisement. Opposition parties—including the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and regional outfits—have staged protests, called for the CEC’s removal and urged Supreme Court intervention. Several parties plan a coordinated protest on Sept 30 2026.
Why It Matters / Impact
The SIR directly affects voter eligibility, with reports that Muslims and women face disproportionately high deletions. Excluding large numbers of eligible citizens could question the legitimacy of upcoming elections and alter political calculations for the ruling BJP and its allies. The controversy also highlights the balance of power between the Election Commission, the judiciary and the executive.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The Indian Express called the Commissioners’ objections “illegal and unauthorised,” while the ECI says internal dissent is normal.
- Sources differ on whether the Form 6 declaration change required a statutory amendment.
- No independent audit of the ECINET portal’s role-based access has been released.
What’s Next
- The INDIA bloc will meet on Sept 30 2026 to formulate a joint strategy, including possible parliamentary motions to remove the CEC.
- The Congress Working Committee meets on Sept 29 2026 to decide on further legal challenges.
- The ECI’s review committee on ECINET is expected to submit its compliance report before the end of 2026.
- Deadline extensions mean affected voters have until Oct 30 2026 (Delhi) and Oct 12 2026 (Maharashtra) to file claims, after which objections will be processed through November.
The dispute over SIR tests India’s electoral architecture, with institutional credibility and voter enfranchisement at stake.