Chidambaram renews CWC demands: CEC resignation, SIR halt, 13.30 crore voter names restored
Synopsis
Congress's P. Chidambaram is pressing hard on a claim that could reshape the electoral debate: 13.30 crore voter names removed from rolls across 20 states under SIR — and in West Bengal alone, 91 per cent of appeals against those deletions were upheld by judges. With the INDIA bloc meeting the same day, the Election Commission controversy is fast becoming the Opposition's central rallying point.
Key Takeaways
Chidambaram reiterated the CWC's three demands on 30 September : resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar , suspension of the SIR exercise, and restoration of 13.30 crore deleted voter names.
Chidambaram claimed 14 per cent of India's adult population was removed from electoral rolls across 20 states under SIR.
In West Bengal , 91 per cent of appeals against voter name deletions were reportedly allowed by judges, resulting in restorations.
The NCPRI's Anjali Bhargava has questioned the whereabouts of the original file authorising the SIR exercise.
The INDIA bloc held a meeting on the same day to discuss the Election Commission controversy and a joint political strategy.
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday, 30 September reiterated the three demands adopted by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling on the government to explain how 14 per cent of India's adult population was removed from voter lists across 20 states. The statement follows a CWC resolution passed a day earlier that identified what the party described as systemic flaws in the Election Commission's ongoing revision exercise.
The Three Demands
Chidambaram listed the CWC's demands as: the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, and restoration of 13.30 crore names he claimed had been removed from electoral rolls. 'Yesterday, the CWC identified the various flaws in the SIR and rightly made three demands,' he said in a statement.
He drew a distinction between the removal of deceased voters — which he said was acceptable through the standard annual revision process on 1 January — and deletions carried out on what he termed 'specious grounds,' including inability to fill Form 6, being 'not found at the address,' or 'logical discrepancy.'
West Bengal Appeals Data
Chidambaram cited figures from West Bengal, where he said 91 per cent of appeals filed against the removal of voter names were allowed by judges, resulting in the restoration of those affected. He argued the BJP must account for this outcome and its implications for the SIR's validity across other states.
'The BJP's response to the CWC resolution and its defence of the CEC are pathetic,' he said, pressing the ruling party to justify the scale of deletions.
RTI Query and Transparency Questions
The Congress leader also flagged a question raised by Anjali Bhargava of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI), who reportedly asked where the file containing the original decision to conduct the SIR was located. Chidambaram said the query pointed to a broader transparency deficit. 'There are many more questions. I am sure the entire SIR exercise will unravel in the next few weeks or months,' he said.
INDIA Bloc Meeting and Opposition Strategy
The remarks came ahead of a scheduled meeting of the INDIA bloc on the same day, where Congress leaders were expected to place the electoral roll controversy before the broader Opposition alliance. The meeting also carries significance given ongoing differences among Opposition parties over coordination and political strategy.
Notably, the bloc has faced setbacks in several state elections since its formation, and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, once associated with the alliance, has since aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The INDIA bloc meeting was expected to focus on the Election Commission controversy and chart a joint political path forward.
Point of View
It does not just embarrass the SIR exercise; it raises a structural question about whether the Election Commission applied legally defensible criteria at all. What is missing from the Congress offensive, however, is a clear demand for a court-supervised audit rather than a political resignation — the latter is easier to dismiss, the former harder to deflect. The INDIA bloc's ability to convert this issue into coordinated legislative pressure will ultimately determine whether SIR becomes an accountability moment or another Opposition grievance that dissipates without institutional consequence.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and clean up voter rolls, including removing names of deceased or ineligible voters. Congress has alleged that the current SIR has led to the wrongful deletion of 13.30 crore names across 20 states on grounds such as 'not found at the address' or 'logical discrepancy.'
What are the three demands made by the Congress Working Committee?
The CWC has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, immediate suspension of the SIR exercise, and the restoration of 13.30 crore voter names it claims were improperly removed from electoral rolls. These demands were adopted in a CWC resolution passed on 29 September.
Why is the West Bengal appeals data significant?
Chidambaram cited that 91 per cent of appeals against voter name deletions in West Bengal were allowed by judges, leading to restorations. Congress argues this high rate of reversal demonstrates that the SIR deletions lacked valid legal or factual basis, and that the same pattern could apply across all 20 states where SIR was conducted.
What is the INDIA bloc expected to discuss at its meeting?
The INDIA bloc meeting on 30 September was expected to focus on the Election Commission controversy surrounding the SIR exercise and to coordinate a joint political strategy among Opposition parties. Congress leaders were set to present the issues raised in the CWC resolution to the broader alliance.
What transparency concerns have been raised about the SIR exercise?
Anjali Bhargava of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) has reportedly asked where the original file authorising the decision to conduct the SIR is located. Chidambaram cited this query as part of a broader pattern of unanswered questions surrounding the exercise's legal and procedural basis.
