A political dispute escalated as the Supreme Court upheld the Election Commission’s authority to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the verdict, citing it as a validation of their call for cleaner voter lists. The BJP raised concerns about distorted democratic processes due to unchecked duplication and infiltration, especially in border areas.
The Congress and INDIA bloc parties criticized the SIR exercise, alleging it led to the disenfranchisement of genuine voters, particularly from minority communities. They accused the exercise of being misused for political motives, pointing to significant deletions in West Bengal and Bihar aimed at weakening opposition strongholds. BJP’s national spokesperson, Sudhanshu Trivedi, criticized Congress leaders for spreading misinformation and termed the ruling a defeat for them.
Trivedi emphasized the Supreme Court’s affirmation of the Election Commission’s power under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the RP Act for the SIR process. He highlighted the necessity of removing fake, deceased, and duplicate names from voter lists to ensure fair elections and democracy’s integrity. Trivedi condemned the opposition for attempting to discredit Constitutional institutions after electoral defeats in Bihar and West Bengal.
