Suspend Punjab SIR till Assembly polls end, demands Congress
Synopsis
With Punjab's Assembly elections just months away, Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has demanded the Election Commission suspend the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls immediately — alleging the exercise is being used to erase lakhs of voters the BJP suspects won't back it. The draft rolls haven't even been released yet, but the political temperature is already rising.
Key Takeaways
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on 24 September 2026 demanded suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls until the Assembly elections are completed.
Congress wants polls conducted on the basis of the existing rolls used for the 2024 general elections , with no deletions.
Warring flagged the complexity of the revised Form 6 , particularly the requirement for first-time voters to reference parents or grandparents in a previous roll.
BJP was accused by Congress of orchestrating the SIR to disenfranchise voters suspected of not supporting the party.
Punjab's draft electoral rolls are yet to be released; Congress warns indications point to lakhs of names being deleted.
The Election Commission of India has not publicly responded to Congress's demands as of 24 September 2026 .
Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday, 24 September 2026, demanded the immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Punjab until the state Assembly elections, due in the next six months, are concluded. Warring argued that allowing the SIR to proceed in its current form risks disenfranchising lakhs of genuine voters ahead of a crucial electoral contest.
What Congress Is Demanding
Warring has called for elections to be conducted on the basis of the existing electoral rolls — the same rolls that served as the foundation for the 2024 general elections — with no deletions. He stressed this was the only mechanism to guarantee that every legitimate voter retains the right to exercise their franchise.
The Punjab Congress president also specifically flagged the revised Form 6, which first-time voters must complete to register. He said the form's complexity, particularly the requirement for first-time voters to cite a reference to their parents or grandparents in a previous electoral roll, is virtually impossible for many eligible young voters to fulfil.
Congress Alleges Deliberate Disenfranchisement
Warring alleged that the SIR, in its current design, amounts to what he called a 'blatant and unabashed attempt to disenfranchise' lakhs of voters whom the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suspects are not its supporters. He said recent revelations had only reinforced the party's long-standing apprehensions on the issue.
'This has shaken the faith of the people in the fairness of elections,' Warring said in a statement.
He noted that while the draft electoral rolls for Punjab are yet to be officially released, there are credible indications that names of a large number of voters are being deleted. 'This will be the travesty of justice and electoral democracy that a large section of voters is disenfranchised just a few months ahead of the elections,' he added.
Context: Why the SIR Is Contentious
The Special Intensive Revision is a periodic exercise by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to update voter lists — adding new eligible voters and removing ineligible or deceased entries. While the process is routine in off-election years, conducting a comprehensive SIR in the months immediately preceding a state election has historically drawn criticism from opposition parties who argue the timeline compresses the window for grievance redressal. Punjab's Assembly elections are constitutionally due by early 2027.
This is not the first time the Congress has raised an alarm over SIR timelines. The party raised similar concerns ahead of multiple state elections in recent years, consistently arguing that condensed revision cycles disproportionately affect marginalised and first-generation voter communities.
What Happens Next
Congress has demanded the SIR be suspended entirely until after the Assembly elections, with the revision exercise resumed thereafter under conditions of greater transparency and reduced procedural complexity. The Election Commission of India has not yet responded publicly to Warring's demands. The release of Punjab's draft electoral rolls, expected shortly, will be a key flashpoint — and the numbers, if they show significant deletions, are likely to intensify the political pressure on the ECI to respond.
Point of View
But that does not make the underlying concern less legitimate — compressed revision timelines routinely disadvantage first-generation voters, migrants, and young first-timers who lack the documentary trail the new Form 6 demands. The Election Commission's silence so far is conspicuous. If the draft rolls, once released, show significant net deletions in a pre-election window, the ECI will face hard questions about the optics and the process. The BJP, for its part, has not yet addressed the disenfranchisement allegation directly — and that silence will be read as confirmation by its critics.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Punjab?
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update voter lists by adding newly eligible voters and removing ineligible entries. Congress has demanded its suspension in Punjab, arguing the current exercise is being carried out under a compressed timeline just months before Assembly elections, risking the deletion of genuine voters.
Why is Congress demanding suspension of the SIR in Punjab?
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring alleges that thousands of genuine voters — especially first-time voters — are being denied registration due to the complexity of the new Form 6. He also claims there are strong indications that lakhs of names are being deleted from rolls, which he attributes to BJP attempting to disenfranchise voters it suspects are not its supporters.
What is the problem with Form 6 for first-time voters?
Form 6, required for new voter registrations, includes a condition asking first-time voters to provide a reference to their parents or grandparents in a previous electoral roll. Warring has described this as an extremely difficult condition for many young and first-generation voters to satisfy, effectively blocking their enrolment.
When are Punjab Assembly elections scheduled?
Punjab Assembly elections are due within the next six months, constitutionally by early 2027. Congress has demanded the SIR be suspended until after the elections and resumed later with greater transparency and simplified procedures.
How has the Election Commission responded to Congress's demands?
As of 24 September 2026, the Election Commission of India had not publicly responded to Warring's demands. The release of Punjab's draft electoral rolls, expected shortly, is likely to be the next flashpoint in the controversy.
