Athawale dismisses Tharoor's SIR claims, defends voter roll revision in Bengal
Synopsis
Around 91 lakh names were struck from Bengal's voter rolls under the SIR process — and 34 lakh living voters appealed. With 31–32 lakh cases still unresolved post-election, Congress's Shashi Tharoor is calling it a legitimate electoral integrity question. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale says it was routine housekeeping. The gap between those two positions is where India's next big election integrity debate is forming.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process on 11 May , dismissing Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's allegations of electoral manipulation.
Tharoor alleged that 91 lakh names were removed from Bengal's voter rolls, of which 34 lakh individuals appealed claiming legitimate voter status.
Only a small number of appeals were adjudicated before polling; an estimated 31–32 lakh cases remain unresolved post-election.
Athawale cited duplicate registrations and deceased voters as justification, noting instances of 20 to 40 names at a single address.
Athawale attributed BJP 's Bengal gains to PM Modi's leadership, not procedural factors.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday pushed back against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's allegations that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process likely influenced election outcomes in West Bengal and Kerala, saying that accusations alone cannot silence anyone. Athawale defended the exercise as a legitimate administrative measure to clean up electoral rolls.
Athawale's Defence of the SIR Process
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Athawale argued that the SIR was carried out for genuine administrative reasons — primarily to remove deceased voters and eliminate duplicate entries.
Point of View
Depending on execution. Tharoor's figure of 31–32 lakh unresolved appeals is not rhetorical — it is a measurable accountability gap. Athawale's rebuttal, while politically predictable, does not address the adjudication backlog, which is the core of the allegation. In a democracy where constituency margins can be decided by thousands of votes, 31 lakh unresolved voter appeals are not an administrative footnote — they are a question that demands a public answer from the Election Commission.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise conducted by election authorities to clean up electoral rolls by removing deceased voters, eliminating duplicate entries, and verifying residential registrations. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale defended it as a routine and necessary administrative measure.
What did Shashi Tharoor allege about the SIR in Bengal?
Tharoor alleged that around 91 lakh names were struck off Bengal's voter rolls during the SIR process. Of these, 34 lakh individuals appealed claiming they were legitimate voters, but most appeals remained unresolved when polling took place.
How many SIR appeals remain unresolved after the election?
According to Tharoor, approximately 31–32 lakh appeals from voters claiming legitimate eligibility remain unresolved even after the election, with adjudication still ongoing. These voters missed the chance to cast their ballots.
What was Athawale's explanation for large numbers of names at single addresses?
Athawale said verification was necessary because in some cases as many as 20 to 40 names were registered at a single address, which he described as an irregularity the SIR was designed to correct.
Has the Election Commission responded to Tharoor's allegations?
The Election Commission of India had not publicly responded to Tharoor's specific claims as of Monday evening. Opposition parties are expected to press the matter further in Parliament.
