BJP's Ramchandra Rao slams Congress over SIR halt demand, calls vote theft claims baseless
Synopsis
Telangana BJP President Ramchandra Rao has gone on the offensive over the SIR row, demanding that Congress produce evidence of voter deletions before calling for a halt — and turning the tables by pointing out that the same EVMs Congress now questions delivered its own wins in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.
Key Takeaways
Telangana BJP President Ramchandra Rao on 27 October dismissed Congress demands to stop the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as 'baseless.' Rao said the first phase of SIR is complete and the second phase has been finished in Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh , and Karnataka .
He challenged Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul Gandhi to present documentary proof of wrongful voter deletions.
Rao called vote theft allegations 'an insult to the people's mandate' and accused the Opposition of attempting to confuse citizens.
He also defended EVMs , noting Congress used the same machines to win in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala .
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Ramchandra Rao on Tuesday, 27 October sharply criticised senior Congress leaders — including party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi — for demanding a halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Rao called the demand 'baseless' and accused the Opposition of misleading citizens with unsubstantiated allegations of vote theft.
Where the SIR process stands
Rao said the exercise had already advanced beyond the stage where a halt could be justified. 'The first phase of the SIR is over now. The second phase of the SIR for the remaining voters has been completed,' he stated. He added that Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka were among the states where the second phase had been wrapped up, claiming the overall exercise was now nearly complete.
BJP demands proof of voter deletions
The Telangana BJP chief challenged Congress to present concrete evidence that legitimate voters had been removed from electoral rolls. 'How can it be stopped without any proof? Kharge or Rahul Gandhi, it is their demand to stop the SIR without any basis,' Rao said. He maintained that neither Congress leaders nor individuals purportedly affected by the revisions had come forward with verifiable documentation of wrongful deletions.
Vote theft allegations called an 'insult to the people's mandate'
Rao alleged that the Opposition's claims were designed to 'confuse the people of the country' rather than address a genuine electoral concern. 'Their claims of vote theft are an insult to the people's mandate,' he said. This comes amid a broader national debate over the transparency of the SIR process, with the Congress and several other Opposition parties arguing that the revision has led to large-scale deletion of valid voter names — a charge the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet formally addressed in this specific context.
EVM credibility row resurfaces
Rao also used the occasion to push back on recurring Opposition criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He argued that the same machines had delivered victories for Congress in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala, questioning why doubts were raised only when the BJP prevailed. 'The EVMs they are raising questions about are the same ones through which they won in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala,' he said. Rao reiterated that Opposition challenges to the credibility of EVMs and the ECI appeared to be contingent on electoral outcomes rather than principled objections.
Political backdrop
The SIR, conducted by the ECI, is a periodic exercise to update electoral rolls — adding new voters and removing those who have died, migrated, or are otherwise ineligible. Controversy over the current round has intensified, with Opposition parties alleging the process has been misused ahead of upcoming state elections. The BJP has consistently defended the exercise as routine and constitutionally mandated. How the row develops will depend largely on whether either side produces documented evidence — or whether the dispute remains a political flashpoint heading into the next electoral cycle.
Point of View
The BJP shifts the burden of proof onto Congress without defending the process on its merits. The EVM deflection is a well-worn tactic — pointing to Opposition wins on the same machines does not address systemic audit concerns, which are about verifiability, not selective outcomes. What is missing from both sides is specificity: independent electoral roll audit data that could settle, or at least clarify, the scale of alleged deletions. Until that exists, the SIR row will remain a political football rather than a resolved question of electoral integrity.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The SIR is a periodic exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update electoral rolls by adding newly eligible voters and removing names of those who have died, migrated, or are otherwise no longer eligible. The current round has become politically contentious, with Opposition parties alleging large-scale wrongful deletions of valid voter names.
Why is the Congress demanding a halt to the SIR?
Congress leaders, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, have alleged that the SIR process has led to irregularities, including the deletion of legitimate voters from electoral rolls. They argue the process should be suspended pending an inquiry into these alleged irregularities.
What has Ramchandra Rao said in response to the Congress demand?
Rao called the Congress demand baseless, arguing that the party has failed to produce any concrete evidence of wrongful voter deletions. He pointed out that both phases of the SIR are now largely complete and challenged Congress to substantiate its claims before asking for a halt.
How does the EVM issue relate to the SIR controversy?
Rao linked both issues as part of a broader pattern of Opposition challenges to electoral credibility, arguing that Congress questions EVMs and the ECI only when the BJP wins. He cited Congress victories in Himachal Pradesh and Kerala — won using the same EVMs — as evidence that the criticism is politically motivated rather than principled.
Which states have completed the second phase of the SIR?
According to Rao, the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision has been completed in Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, with the overall national exercise described as nearly complete.
