The Election Commission will meet on September 10 to assess preparations for a nationwide rollout of the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral
rolls, PTI reported citing officials. The move comes ahead of assembly polls due in 2026 in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, raising the possibility that these states and the Union Territory may see SIR implemented by the year’s end. At the heart of the SIR exercise is the scrutiny of birth records to detect and remove ineligible names, particularly illegal migrants. The process has gained traction as several states step up action against migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The plan, however, has already triggered political heat. Opposition parties accuse the Centre of using the exercise to target Bengali-speaking citizens, branding them “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.” Bihar’s experience has added fuel to the debate. The SIR there faced pushback, with opposition leaders alleging that “the exercise could disenfranchise crores of eligible citizens due to lack of proper documents.” They also charged that the poll body “has manipulated voter data to favor the ruling party.” Responding to these concerns, the Election Commission rolled out additional safeguards. Among them is a new declaration form for specific categories of applicants, particularly those applying to register as voters or shift their enrolment from another state. The declaration requires applicants to affirm that they were born in India before July 1, 1987, with supporting proof of date and place of birth. Those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must submit documents verifying their parents’ date and place of birth. The Commission has defended these measures, saying they are necessary “to ensure that foreign nationals do not get included in the country’s voters’ list.” (With inputs from agencies)
