Smriti Irani Questions Congress On Duplicate, Deceased Names In Electoral Rolls
Irani questions Congress over its objections to voter-roll revisions.
Senior BJP leader Smriti Irani on Tuesday criticised the Congress over its attacks on the Election Commission, accusing the opposition party of attempting to undermine the country's electoral system after failing to secure public support within the existing democratic framework. Speaking to reporters at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Irani questioned the Congress's objections to changes in electoral rolls and its demands concerning the Election Commission.
Her remarks followed a Congress Working Committee meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, where the party demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and restoration of names removed from electoral rolls. The Congress also sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation over allegations concerning the conduct of elections. Irani accused the party of targeting constitutional institutions through its criticism of the Election Commission.
Irani specifically questioned why the Congress leadership was seeking to retain names of deceased individuals and duplicate entries in electoral rolls. She also asked whether Congress leaders were effectively giving the Election Commission a clean chit in states such as Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka, where the BJP is not in power. She described the Congress's position as contradictory and linked its criticism of the poll panel to its broader objections to the electoral roll revision process.
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The BJP leader also referred to remarks made by the Congress's outgoing national president in 2019, alleging that he had spoken about making efforts to tarnish Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image. Irani said criticism of political leaders should not, in her view, extend to attacks on constitutional institutions or democratic systems. She alleged that the Congress leadership was continuing to target institutions instead of introspecting over its electoral performance.
On the SIR process, Irani referred to the Election Commission's clarification that Booth Level Officers would personally visit the homes of individuals who had received notices during the exercise. She said the officials would collect documents and verify the status of voters. Against this backdrop, she questioned the Congress's objections to the presence of duplicate entries or names of deceased individuals on electoral rolls and asked why the party wanted such names to remain or be restored.
Irani further alleged that the Congress was dissatisfied with the level of public support it receives within the existing democratic framework and was consequently targeting the Election Commission rather than examining its electoral setbacks. She described the Election Commission as an institution representing the dignity of Indian democracy and said it had earned international recognition. The Congress's allegations and demands, however, remain part of an ongoing political dispute over the electoral roll revision process and the functioning of the poll panel.
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