SIR 2.0: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Brace For Voter Roll Purge In Phase 2
EC launches nationwide revision in 12 states after Bihar cuts 65 lakh names.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the second phase of its nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, targeting 12 states and union territories—including poll-bound West Bengal and Tamil Nadu—starting after Bihar’s Assembly elections next month. The move follows the completion of Phase 1 in Bihar, where nearly 65 lakh voters were removed from the rolls, sparking intense political controversy.
Phase 1 in Bihar, conducted from June to September, resulted in the final roll published on September 30 with zero appeals against wrongful deletions, the EC claimed. However, opposition parties accused the exercise of targeting marginalized communities. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged collusion between the EC and BJP, citing similar patterns in Karnataka and Maharashtra. Both the EC and BJP dismissed the claims, demanding proof in court.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar defended the SIR, noting it has been conducted eight times since 1951—the last in 2002–2004. “Frequent migration, duplicate entries, deceased voters, and wrongful inclusions necessitate periodic cleansing,” he said. The Supreme Court intervened during the Bihar process, directing the EC to include Aadhaar as an indicative document for identity verification, overriding concerns about forgery.
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The upcoming phase will follow a streamlined timeline—shorter than Bihar’s four-month process—and aims to ensure electoral roll integrity before critical 2026 elections. West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, both due for high-stakes Assembly polls, will be under intense scrutiny as political parties gear up for battle.
With voter list accuracy now a flashpoint in Indian politics, the EC’s nationwide SIR underscores its constitutional mandate to protect electoral fairness—while walking a tightrope amid accusations of bias and disenfranchisement.
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