New Delhi:
The Election Commission of India has come under renewed political scrutiny over its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with opposition parties questioning the manner in which voter names are being deleted and restored.
An investigation published by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a 10-month period to decisions and orders concerning voter registration, deletion and restoration, appeals and access to the electoral database.
The report said the SIR exercise, which began in Bihar in June 2025, has involved large-scale revision of electoral rolls. The process has since been extended to several other States and Union Territories.
Congress and other opposition parties have sought greater transparency from the poll panel and have questioned the role of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that decisions on SIR and other matters were taken collectively by all three Election Commissioners.
The issue has become a major point of political debate, with opposition parties seeking greater clarity on the procedures followed for deletion, restoration and verification of voter names ahead of elections.