Cong to reach out to over 13 crore voters deleted by SIR

• Congress launches month-long campaign over voters left out during SIR.

• Party plans booth-level outreach, rallies and INDIA bloc protests through November.

• ECI says 13 crore figure covers draft-stage exclusions, while directing special drives to re-enrol left-out voters.

The Congress has announced a month-long campaign against what it calls "vote chori (theft)", with the party planning door-to-door outreach at every polling booth to help voters whose names were left out of the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

The decision was taken at a meeting of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi with Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents and state in-charges, ahead of the Opposition's planned march from Parliament's Makar Dwar to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, 6 October.

The Congress has put the number of names affected at more than 13 crore. The Election Commission, however, has said the figure refers to electors marked as absent, shifted, dead or duplicate at the draft stage and does not represent final deletions from the electoral rolls. 

Kharge on Monday reiterated the party's three demands over the issue — the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, cancellation of the SIR and a return to ballot paper-based elections.

"There can be no compromise on the Congress party's three demands. First, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must resign; second, the SIR must be cancelled; and third, elections must be conducted through ballot papers," Kharge said.

Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at the meeting, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said all Opposition MPs of the INDIA bloc would march peacefully from Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan from 11.00 am on 6 October. Opposition parties have been asked to assemble at Makar Dwar at 10.30 am.

Ramesh said all INDIA bloc parties would hold district-level demonstrations by 8 October, demanding action over what they describe as "vote theft" and the removal of the CEC.

From 10 to 20 October, the Congress will organise block-level bike rallies, cycle rallies and padyatras, primarily focusing on the same demands.

The next phase will begin on 25 October and continue until 25 November, with the Congress planning 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' rallies at state, district and village levels, along with meetings demanding the removal of the CEC.

During this period, party workers will conduct door-to-door visits at every booth to help voters whose names have been left out of the rolls. The Congress is collecting booth-wise details of affected voters and has so far received data from six states.

The Election Commission itself has directed 20 states and Union territories where the SIR exercise has been completed to conduct a special drive to enrol voters who were "left out" of the rolls. The ECI has said Form 6 will provide the route for re-enrolment.

A mega INDIA bloc rally is scheduled at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on 1 November. Ramesh said the Congress was inviting all Opposition parties to participate.

The rally was discussed at an INDIA bloc meeting at Delhi's Constitution Club on 30 September, where the programme was announced.

Ramesh also said a 'Delhi Chalo' campaign would be held from 25 to 26 November, with marches arriving in Delhi from six states, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Congress plans a major demonstration in the capital under the slogan 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao, CEC Hatao'.

"The 13.5 crore names removed from the electoral rolls are not just numbers. They are young people, women and men. They belong to every section of society and different castes, religions and communities. The Congress party will give them a face. This issue will not remain confined to numbers. So far, there has only been discussion about numbers," Ramesh said.

The Congress Working Committee had earlier demanded restoration of more than 13 crore names and a halt to the SIR.