Political parties in Gujarat have responded vigorously to the unveiling of the state’s ultimate voter list. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has supported the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), while the Congress has expressed reservations regarding transparency and procedural matters. Gujarat BJP Spokesperson Anil Patel defended the voter list purification process, highlighting its historical implementation across India since independence. Patel addressed errors like duplicate entries or deceased voters’ names, emphasizing the opportunity for corrections through Form-6 submissions.
State BJP Spokesperson Patel criticized Congress leaders for allegedly creating misleading narratives against the Election Commission under Rahul Gandhi’s guidance. He stressed the BJP’s perspective of considering voters as democracy partners rather than mere vote banks. In contrast, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Chavda raised concerns about the SIR process, citing mental pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and fatalities during the voter details update. Chavda provided statistics on the final voter list modifications, calling for transparency in booth-wise details of additions and deletions.
Chavda demanded accountability, advocating for criminal actions against false Form 7 submissions and public disclosure of involved officers through CCTV footage. He urged safeguarding legitimate voters’ rights and highlighted efforts by Congress and the public to protect voting rights. The SIR process, spanning over three months, focused on eliminating duplicate entries, deceased voters’ names, and migrants from the voter list.
