‘Attempt to undermine democracy’: Opposition raises concern about SIR announcement in 12 states, UTs

A day after the Election Commission announced a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, Opposition parties on Tuesday described the move as an “attempt to undermine democracy”.

The parties alleged that the exercise was aimed at disenfranchising voters as several states head to polls in 2026.

The revision of the electoral rolls will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Goa, Puducherry, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said on Monday.

Of the 12 states and Union Territories, Assembly elections are scheduled for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry in 2026.

After the Election Commission’s announcement, the Congress alleged that the poll panel will now “play the game of vote theft in 12 states”.

“Under the guise of [special intensive revision], 6.9 million votes were slashed in Bihar,” the party said in a social media post. “Now tens of millions of votes will be slashed in 12 states. This is blatant vote theft that [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi and the Election Commission are carrying out together.”

The Congress added: “When [special intensive revision] happened in Bihar, the Election Commission’s theft was exposed before the country. Even the Supreme Court has reprimanded the Commission over this.”

In Bihar, where the...

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