The Congress has demanded the immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party said the exercise has raised serious concerns over the integrity, transparency and the constitutional validity of the entire process. The demand came after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's highest decision-making body.
The Congress has also said that INDIA bloc leaders will decide a common strategy to cancel SIR. This means the opposition alliance is preparing to take a joint stand on the issue, rather than leaving it to individual parties.
Why Congress Wants SIR Cancelled
The Congress's demand is tied to a report that raised questions about how SIR-related decisions were taken. According to the original story, an Indian Express report on 22 September said two Election Commissioners — Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi — had objected on record at least 14 times in 10 months to SIR-related decisions "taken without their knowledge".
The Congress has pointed to this as evidence that the process lacks transparency. The party says the concerns go beyond small errors and touch the very validity of the exercise under the Constitution.
Election Commission Announces Nine Steps
In what has been described as a firefighting exercise, the Election Commission of India has since announced nine steps to address some of the concerns. However, the questions raised in the report remain, and the Congress is not satisfied with the response.
The party's stand is clear: it wants the SIR process stopped, not just adjusted. The CWC meeting was held against the backdrop of the report, and the decision to push for suspension came directly out of that discussion.
What the INDIA Bloc Strategy Means
The Congress has made it clear that this is not a solo fight. By saying INDIA bloc leaders will decide a common strategy to cancel SIR, the party is signalling that it wants a united opposition front on the issue.
- Congress demand: immediate suspension of SIR of electoral rolls
- Congress concern: integrity, transparency and constitutional validity of the process
- Trigger for the demand: Indian Express report on 22 September
- Report claim: two Election Commissioners objected at least 14 times in 10 months
- ECI action: nine steps announced to address some concerns
- Next move: INDIA bloc leaders to decide a common strategy to cancel SIR
Our Take: Why This Matters for Voters
In our view, this is a fight about trust in the electoral system. The Congress is not just asking for small fixes — it is questioning whether the SIR process should continue at all. The party's decision to bring INDIA bloc leaders into the picture shows it wants to turn this into a larger political battle.
To put it plainly, the core issue is simple: if two Election Commissioners objected on record at least 14 times in 10 months, voters deserve a clear answer on why those objections were not addressed earlier. The ECI's nine steps may calm some concerns, but they do not answer the bigger question of how decisions were taken without the knowledge of some commissioners.
What should readers take away from this? First, the SIR is not a routine administrative exercise — it has become a political flashpoint. Second, the Congress is trying to build an opposition consensus, which means the issue will likely stay in the news. Third, the real test will be whether the INDIA bloc can actually agree on a common strategy, or whether the alliance will split over tactics.
For now, the ball is in the court of the INDIA bloc leaders. Their decision will show whether the opposition can mount a united challenge on electoral rolls — or whether the Congress will have to fight this alone.
