During a bi‑weekly briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal blasted Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal's claim that India had purged 130 million voters. Jaiswal said the remarks were 'unwarranted and uninformed' and would undermine democracy. Jayapal had posted on X earlier that week, warning that the purge threatened the integrity of India's elections.
India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, responded on Thursday, calling Jayapal's allegations 'unacceptable interference in India’s internal affairs'. He highlighted India’s record of free and fair elections and offered dialogue to correct misconceptions.
Jayapal, a Washington‑state Democrat who once led a resolution in 2019 demanding the lifting of Kashmir communication curbs, has clashed with New Delhi before. Her recent post referenced reports of names being removed from the electoral rolls, which the Election Commission says are part of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The Election Commission, which has been reviewing the rolls in multiple phases, said the lists of absent, shifted, deceased and duplicate voters were publicly available and that those removed could re‑enrol. The SIR process is a routine measure to keep the roll current and does not involve mass purges.
India’s stance signals a broader defence of its electoral sovereignty amid growing scrutiny. The next step will be a parliamentary debate on the Commission’s updated rolls, slated for next week, and further diplomatic exchanges between Washington and New Delhi.