Overview
The Indian National Congress has alleged that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll is a "Shah Instigated Removal" targeting disadvantaged voters. The claim comes as the Election Commission of India (ECI) proceeds with Phase‑3 of SIR across 16 states and three Union Territories.
Key Developments
- Phase‑1 (June 2025) and Phase‑2 (Nov 2025): 7.8 crore names deleted, a deletion rate of ~13% of the pre‑SIR roll.
- Phase‑3 (mid‑2026): In 12 states and 2 UTs, 6.18 crore names removed out of 36.06 crore total, raising the deletion rate to over 17%.
- Risk of further deletion: 5.43 crore voters have received Form‑7 notices, indicating a possible additional 15% deletion risk.
- State‑wise impact: Deletion or risk rates exceed 30% in Delhi (53.73%), Chandigarh (52.58%), Telangana (48.90%), Jharkhand (39.57%), and others.
- Gender disparity: Congress claims more women than men have been deleted in most major states.
Important Facts
- Overall, about 32% of voters have either been deleted or face deletion risk.
- In several constituencies of Bihar, the number of deletions surpasses the victory margin of the last Assembly election.
- The ECI maintains that the revision, the first in 22 years, aims to remove ineligible and duplicate entries and to add eligible voters.
- Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has repeatedly called the process an "assault on the Constitution" and linked it to Amit Shah.
Exam Relevance
The episode touches upon several GS topics. Understanding the role and autonomy of the Election Commission is essential for GS‑2 (Polity). The controversy highlights issues of electoral integrity, voter disenfranchisement, and the use of administrative tools like Form‑7, which are relevant for questions on democratic processes. The alleged targeting of marginalized sections connects to GS‑3 (Socio‑economic issues) and GS‑4 (Ethics) concerning social justice and constitutional values.
Way Forward
For aspirants, it is important to monitor how the Supreme Court and parliamentary committees respond to the allegations. Potential reforms could include:
- Strengthening safeguards in the SIR process to prevent arbitrary deletions.
- Ensuring transparent publication of deletion lists across all states.
- Providing free and accessible documentation assistance to economically weaker sections.
- Periodic judicial review of the ECI’s methodology to uphold constitutional guarantees.
Keeping abreast of official data releases and court rulings will help answer future UPSC questions on electoral reforms and democratic accountability.