Over 300 civil society members slam SIR, question ECI’s credibility

A joint call issued by civil society members from states where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been conducted — and those identified for its Phase 3 rollout — has sharply criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the exercise has undermined its credibility and compromised electoral integrity.

The statement issued today, 3 May, claims that since the introduction and implementation of the SIR in June 2025, the ECI has “lost all credibility” and acted as a partisan body rather than fulfilling its constitutional mandate under Article 324. It also expresses “deep disappointment” with the Supreme Court, stating that it has so far been unable to defend the constitutional rights of citizens and the electorate.

According to the groups, the past year has exposed the SIR’s failure to produce an inclusive voter list and instead revealed what they describe as the Commission’s “manipulative intent”. Calling for the exercise to be stopped, the statement urges a comprehensive review, rectification and course correction before any further updating of electoral rolls. It also calls on the Supreme Court to conclude hearings on the constitutional validity of the exercise and deliver a judgment safeguarding voters’ rights.

The groups describe the SIR as “exclusionary, undemocratic, non-transparent and unscientific”, noting that its constitutional validity remains contested. They allege that in the 10 states and 3 Union Territories where the process has been carried out so far, nearly 6 crore “rightful voters” have been disenfranchised.

Citing West Bengal as an example, the statement claims that around 35 lakh voters seeking adjudication were denied verification “through no fault of theirs”, resulting in the loss of their voting rights. It further alleges that those disproportionately affected include minorities, Adivasis, Dalits and marginalised groups such as migrant workers, daily wage labourers and nomadic communities, with women bearing a greater impact.

The statement also points to instances where prominent individuals — including economist Amartya Sen, former Navy chief Arun Prakash (retd), cricketer Mohammed Shami and poet Joy Goswami — were allegedly sent notices or faced deletion from electoral rolls, alongside lakhs of ordinary citizens possessing valid documentation. In some cases, even returning officers on election duty were not spared, it said, describing this as evidence of the process’s “deeply flawed” nature.

The groups further argue that the SIR has failed in its stated objective of identifying so-called “infiltrators” and cleaning up electoral rolls, pointing instead to a lack of clarity around the rationale and decision-making behind the exercise.

Among their key demands, the signatories have called for an immediate halt to the SIR in its current form, a thorough review of the process so far, and the framing of clear rules with stringent provisions for audit and verification, in line with standards set by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). They have also sought the reinstatement of all “rightful voters” in states where the exercise has already been completed.

The statement further calls for a common voters’ list — from Gram Sabha to Vidhan Sabha to Lok Sabha — arguing that a transparently compiled local electoral roll should form the basis of the entire election process.

In a strong critique of the poll body, the groups allege that the ECI is no longer impartial but “politically aligned with the ruling dispensation”, and demand that it be reconstituted through a transparent process under parliamentary oversight.

Finally, the statement warns against any attempt to manipulate election outcomes in upcoming polls in states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, alleging that similar patterns were visible during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It adds that continued disregard for constitutional principles could trigger widespread public protest.