A major political row has erupted over the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision, known as SIR, of electoral rolls across the country. Following claims of internal disagreements within the election commission over how the voter list revision was handled, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and former Congress president, mounted a scathing offensive against the poll body and the ruling establishment on Thursday, asserting that those undermining constitutional norms now stand exposed and justice will prevail.
Allegations Over Voter List Manipulation and Constitutional Safeguards
Taking to social media platform X, the senior leader shared his reaction alongside the hashtag Vote Chori. In a brief and sharp public post, Rahul Gandhi stated, "संविधान के दुश्मन बेनकाब हो गए हैं. न्याय होगा." He also announced that he would address a formal press conference at 4 PM to present his detailed stance on the unfolding controversy. This follows his statement from Wednesday, where he characterized the alleged tampering with votes as an assault on the constitution, claiming that the actions involving the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and the election commission amounted to treason.
Internal Objections and the Commission's Defense
The controversy stems from claims that election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections regarding several aspects of the nationwide voter list revision, particularly around the deletion and addition of names. According to these accounts, the decisions were pushed through despite their reservations. Addressing these contentions, the election commission clarified that having differing viewpoints during internal deliberation is an entirely routine and standard part of institutional procedures, maintaining that all final decisions strictly adhere to established statutory rules.
