Congress Flags ‘Vote Chori’ Issue, Warns Against Attempts To Capture Electoral System

The Congress on Thursday intensified its criticism of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying voices opposing what it described as the “capture” of the electoral system were growing louder and that citizens would not tolerate “vote chori” in any form. Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh cited former Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat’s comments on the voter-roll revision exercise while alleging that nearly 14 crore voters had been disenfranchised across the three phases of SIR. Ramesh made the remarks in a post on X, referring to Rawat’s reported concerns about the scale and conduct of the exercise. The Congress has repeatedly alleged that the revision process could exclude eligible voters, while the Election Commission has maintained that SIR is part of its constitutional responsibility to maintain accurate and credible electoral rolls.

Ramesh said Rawat had questioned the SIR process and alleged violations by the Election Commission. Referring to the former poll panel chief’s remarks, Ramesh said it was the first time since Independence that such a large number of eligible voters had lost their right to vote. The Congress leader’s reference to nearly 14 crore voters relates to names removed or requiring re-enrolment during the various phases of the revision process, rather than a final determination that all those individuals have permanently lost voting rights. The Election Commission has established mechanisms through which voters can search electoral rolls, submit documents against notices and apply for inclusion or correction. Its official voter portal currently provides dedicated facilities related to SIR 2026.

The dispute has become part of a broader political confrontation over the manner in which electoral rolls are being revised ahead of upcoming elections. Congress has argued that large-scale deletions could disproportionately affect eligible voters and has questioned the use of the ECINet system in the preparation and verification of electoral rolls. Ramesh has also criticised the Election Commission’s response to complaints raised during the process, arguing that voters should not first be removed and then asked to seek re-enrolment. In recent statements, he has described the scale of deletions as a major concern and demanded greater safeguards and transparency in the revision process. Other opposition parties have also raised objections to SIR, with the issue becoming a recurring point of political mobilisation.

Also Read: Amid Row, EC Scraps SIR Declaration From Form 6 in States Where Revision is Complete

The Election Commission, however, has presented SIR as an exercise aimed at protecting the integrity of electoral rolls. In its June 2025 order launching the process, the poll panel said maintaining the integrity of electoral rolls was fundamental to conducting free and fair elections. The Commission cited its constitutional powers under Article 324 and the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as the legal basis for the revision. It has also said that the exercise is intended to identify eligible electors, remove ineligible or duplicate entries and ensure that electoral rolls remain updated. In Bihar, where the first major phase of the exercise was completed in 2025, the ECI said the final electoral roll contained nearly 7.42 crore electors after the revision process.

The controversy has also involved questions about how voters whose names are absent from revised lists can establish their eligibility. The Election Commission has introduced online services allowing citizens to search for their names in previous SIR rolls and submit documents against notices. It has also directed election officials to undertake measures aimed at assisting people who face difficulties during the process. According to recent announcements, booth-level officers are to conduct home visits in certain cases to collect and upload documents for voters whose records remain unmapped or contain logical discrepancies. The Commission has also said help desks and special camps can be arranged for vulnerable groups, including people living in night shelters, labourers, poor citizens and homeless people.

The Congress’s latest statement comes as the SIR dispute continues to dominate the political debate over electoral administration. Ramesh said opposition to what the party calls electoral-system “capture” was becoming increasingly widespread and reiterated that “vote chori” would not be accepted. These are political allegations made by the Congress and have not been established as findings by the Election Commission or another adjudicating authority. The ECI continues to describe the revision as an exercise to maintain the integrity and accuracy of electoral rolls, while the Congress and other critics are demanding greater scrutiny of deletions and safeguards for eligible voters. With the revision process continuing in multiple parts of the country, the handling of excluded or disputed names, the availability of appeals and the transparency of the verification process are likely to remain central to the debate.

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