IndiaPosted at: Sep 21 2026 9:00PM


Jairam Ramesh flags SIR’s impact on vulnerable voters, demands ECI transparency

New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on Monday stepped up his criticism of the Election Commission of India’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that the focus on notices issued to VIP electors and prominent individuals in Delhi should not obscure the difficulties faced by millions of ordinary voters at risk of exclusion.
Reacting to a press release issued by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Delhi, concerning notices sent to prominent individuals, Ramesh argued that influential citizens would have greater access to the resources needed to secure their inclusion, while socially and economically disadvantaged voters could struggle to meet the documentation requirements.
“However, the issue is not about influential persons who will find a way to have their names included, but the vast majority who will struggle to do so,” he said in a post on X.
Ramesh claimed that 5.43 crore Indians across 14 states and union Territories had received notices seeking additional documentation to establish their citizenship.
Alleging that the revision process disproportionately affected vulnerable communities, he said, “There is abundant evidence that deletions affect the most socially and economically marginalised groups, including slum dwellers, the poor and women.”
Questioning the scale of the exercise, Ramesh demanded an explanation from the poll panel over the number of voters whose names had already been removed during the enumeration phase and those subsequently facing the possibility of deletion.
“During the enumeration phase, names of over 6 Cr voters were removed. The ECI must explain why after this, now an additional 5.4 cr voters are at risk of deletion?” he asked.
The Congress leader also raised specific concerns about Delhi, claiming that 54 per cent of voters in the national capital had either been deleted or faced the risk of deletion. Describing the figure as “absurdly high”, he said it raised serious questions about the credibility of the electoral rolls.
Ramesh further criticised the BJP-ruled states for allegedly withholding lists of voters at risk of deletion, calling the situation “an appalling lack of transparency”.
He demanded that all states publish the relevant lists immediately, arguing that voters and political parties needed greater clarity about the scope and consequences of the revision process.
Responding to the Delhi CEO’s assertion that “There is no existential crisis”, Ramesh maintained that voters remained vulnerable to exclusion from the final electoral roll unless they submitted documentation deemed adequate by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) or Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).
“Unless voters provide adequate documentation to the satisfaction of the BLO/ERO, they can be struck off the final roll. So they remain at risk of deletion,” he said.
The dispute comes amid wider scrutiny of the SIR process, under which election authorities are undertaking verification of electoral rolls and requiring certain voters to provide supporting documents. The Election Commission has maintained that the exercise is intended to ensure that eligible citizens remain on the rolls while ineligible entries are removed.
Opposition parties, however, have raised concerns about the documentation burden, transparency and the potential exclusion of marginalised citizens who may lack access to the required records.
Ramesh called on the Election Commission to address what he described as serious shortcomings in the revision exercise, particularly its potential impact on disadvantaged voters.
Describing SIR as a “Method Of Disenfranchising Indians”, he demanded greater accountability from the poll panel and urged it to ensure that eligible citizens were not denied their right to vote.
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Tags: #Jairam Ramesh flags SIR’s impact on vulnerable voters# demands ECI transparency
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