Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party fully backs the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and accused the Congress Party of deploying its “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar to protect “infiltrators” and win elections with their support.
Addressing a public gathering in Delhi today during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday event, Shah criticised the Congress for what he termed the “Ghuspaithiya Bachao Yatra”. He asserted that the opposition does not trust India’s citizens and seeks to maintain names of alleged illegal entrants in voter lists to secure votes. He maintained that the SIR exercise is essential to cleanse electoral rolls of ineligible entries.
Shah’s remarks followed the 14-day, 1,300-km “Voter Adhikar Yatra” through Bihar, led by Rahul Gandhi in protest against the SIR process. Congress has warned that many legitimate voters in Bihar risk being disenfranchised, particularly due to strict document requirements under SIR and the exclusion of certain documents such as Aadhaar and ration cards from their list of acceptable proofs.
The Election Commission has instructed states and Union Territories to conduct mapping of electoral rolls from earlier SIR-years—most commonly 2002 or 2003—against current rolls as part of the verification drive. These base years are being used so that people listed in those earlier rolls may qualify without supplying fresh documentary proof, while newer voters must meet revised proof standards. The EC has ordered that mapping in Delhi be completed by September 26.
Opposition leaders have challenged the fairness of the SIR, arguing that many voters, especially from marginalised and migrant communities, may lack the required documentation and therefore could be excluded. The Supreme Court has weighed in, issuing directions to ensure no eligible voter is left out.
Political analysts observe that SIR has become a major flashpoint ahead of the Bihar assembly elections later this year. The ruling party frames it as vital for protecting electoral integrity; opponents describe it as a tool that may suppress votes in certain regions. In states like West Bengal, officials have begun training electoral officers for the scale of the task, emphasising verification of citizenship and mapping of earlier voter lists against current ones.
