Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday, 6 November made clear that the state government cannot adopt a stance on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls that contradicts the Indian National Congress (Congress) party's position — which firmly opposes the exercise over alleged irregularities.

What Parameshwara Said on SIR

Responding to questions on the ongoing controversy, Parameshwara acknowledged that some ministers had noted the SIR process had not significantly disrupted their own constituencies, but cautioned against drawing a broader conclusion from that. 'In some constituencies, perhaps only around 2,000 names may have been deleted or added. But when we look at the larger picture, serious questions arise,' he said.

He pointed to the scale of the deletions as grounds for concern: approximately 1.08 crore voter names were removed during the SIR process. Of these, nearly 16 lakh had reportedly been categorised as deceased — though complaints had emerged that some of those individuals were still alive. Another 65 lakh people were reportedly classified as having shifted residence.

The Residency Transfer Problem

Parameshwara explained that the residency reclassification created a logical inconsistency that the Congress found difficult to accept. Under normal procedure, a voter who relocates should have their name appear in the electoral roll at the new address. 'If someone shifts from Bengaluru to Mysuru, their name should be included in the Mysuru electoral roll. But when the name is not found there either, it raises serious questions,' he said. It is precisely this discrepancy, he argued, that underpins the Congress's objection to the exercise.

Party Line Cannot Be Contradicted

Parameshwara confirmed that the Congress had formalised its objection to the SIR at both the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) levels. 'The party's position on SIR is clear. The government cannot take a separate stand contrary to the party's position,' he stated, effectively closing off any space for ministerial dissent on the issue.

This comes amid a broader national debate over electoral roll revisions, with opposition parties in several states raising concerns about large-scale deletions of voter names ahead of upcoming elections.

Social Security Pensions: Temporary Suspension, Now Resumed

Separately, Parameshwara addressed the suspension of several social security pensions, including old-age and disability pensions. He said two to three meetings had already been held to resolve the matter. The income eligibility ceiling, previously set at ₹30,000, has been revised upward to ₹1.20 lakh, ensuring eligible beneficiaries are not excluded on income grounds.

A second complication involved applicants who had not yet reached the prescribed age threshold. 'Old-age pension is meant for those above 60 years, but applications have been received from people aged 40, 30 and even 20. Around 23 lakh such applications are being scrutinised, and ineligible applications are being rejected,' Parameshwara said. He noted that pension distribution had been temporarily halted for verification but has since resumed, and assured that the issue would be fully resolved within the next one to two weeks.