The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has sparked a firestorm in Delhi, with opposition parties accusing the Election Commission of botched procedures that allegedly removed thousands of voters. The commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, has defended the process as constitutionally mandated, citing 14 formal objections raised by Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over a ten‑month period.
Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, amplified the controversy at the INDIA bloc meeting, branding Kumar as ‘Vanish Kumar’ and calling for his resignation. The moniker echoes her earlier rally in Hooghly on September 26, where she warned that the SIR had turned into a 'vote loot' operation.
The INDIA bloc, comprising Congress, Rahul Gandhi, and other opposition leaders, is preparing a joint programme of protests. Sources indicate that a motion in Parliament will be tabled next week to formalise the demand for Kumar’s removal, a move that could force a high‑level review of the commission’s decision‑making.
In response, the Election Commission has reiterated that written objections are part of its internal deliberations and maintains the SIR is a routine exercise. It dismissed claims that the process was aimed at disenfranchising voters.
Observers note that the impending parliamentary motion could set a precedent for contesting election‑commission decisions, potentially reshaping the balance of power between the state and the central government. The next parliamentary session will be watched closely as the INDIA bloc gears up for a coordinated strike.