SIR is an Election Commission process, not BJP's: Telangana BJP chief
Synopsis
Telangana BJP chief R. Rao has pushed back sharply against Opposition criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, calling it a routine Election Commission exercise to clean voter rolls — not a BJP manoeuvre. With over 13 crore names reportedly dropped from draft rolls and protests at Jantar Mantar, the SIR row is fast becoming one of the most charged electoral integrity disputes ahead of the next round of polls.
Key Takeaways
Telangana BJP President R.
Rao defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on 5 October 2026 , calling it an Election Commission of India initiative, not a BJP one.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and other Opposition leaders have publicly opposed the SIR process.
Rao noted SIR was also conducted during Congress rule without Opposition protest at the time.
Opposition parties allege over 13 crore names were dropped from draft electoral rolls under SIR, staging protests at Jantar Mantar , New Delhi .
The INDIA Bloc has demanded the SIR exercise be withdrawn, alleging it compromises electoral fairness; the BJP has rejected the allegations.
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President R. Rao on 5 October 2026 defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, stating it is an Election Commission of India (ECI) initiative — not a BJP-driven exercise — designed solely to remove dead, duplicate, and ineligible voters from electoral rolls. His remarks came in response to Opposition leaders, including All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who have publicly opposed SIR amid a nationwide controversy.
What the Telangana BJP chief said
Rao directly challenged Owaisi and other Opposition figures, arguing their criticism was misdirected. Rao said, 'AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and other leaders who are opposing the SIR process should know that it is initiated by the Election Commission of India, and not the BJP.'
He further said, 'It is a process not introduced by the BJP. It is an Election Commission process. It was also carried out during the Congress' rule. They did not oppose it then, so why are they opposing it now?'
Rao also pointed to Kerala as an example, noting that the Indian National Congress (Congress) won elections in the state even after SIR was conducted — countering claims that the exercise systematically favours the BJP.
BJP's broader counter-argument
Elaborating on the purpose of SIR, Rao said the process is meant to delete entries of deceased voters, duplicate registrations, foreign nationals, and voters who have relocated — describing it as a routine housekeeping exercise. 'There is no illegality; there is nothing to object to; there should be no objection in this regard,' he said.
He also took a swipe at the Opposition's electoral track record, alleging that Congress and the INDIA Bloc habitually blame either the Election Commission or Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) whenever they lose elections. He added that BJP has been in power for 12 years because, in his assessment, 'people have lost faith in the Congress and the INDIA Bloc.'
The Opposition's case against SIR
Opposition parties have pushed back hard, staging protests at multiple locations across the country, including at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, on Sunday. They allege that over 13 crore names were dropped from the draft electoral rolls under the SIR exercise and that the process could disproportionately benefit the BJP.
Several Opposition leaders have also alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has compromised the fairness of the electoral process and demanded the SIR exercise be withdrawn entirely. The ruling BJP has rejected all such allegations as baseless.
Context and what's at stake
The SIR controversy has escalated into a significant political flashpoint ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. Critics argue that large-scale deletions from voter rolls — even if procedurally valid — disproportionately affect marginalised communities, who are more likely to be flagged as 'duplicate' or 'relocated' voters. The Election Commission has maintained that SIR is a lawful and necessary process to keep rolls accurate.
With both sides entrenched, pressure is likely to mount on the Election Commission to clarify its methodology and release granular data on which voter categories were removed and from which constituencies.
Point of View
But it sidesteps the core Opposition concern: the sheer scale of deletions, reportedly over 13 crore, in a single revision cycle. Whether those deletions are procedurally sound is a separate question from whether they are politically neutral in their effect. The Election Commission's credibility hinges on releasing transparent, constituency-level data on who was removed and why — something that has not yet happened. Until it does, both sides will continue to talk past each other, and the voters who matter most — those at risk of disenfranchisement — will remain an abstraction in a political argument.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an Election Commission of India exercise to update and clean electoral rolls by removing the names of deceased voters, duplicate entries, foreign nationals, and voters who have relocated to other constituencies. The BJP and the ECI describe it as a routine administrative process mandated by electoral law.
Why are Opposition parties protesting against SIR?
Opposition parties, including the INDIA Bloc and AIMIM, allege that SIR has led to over 13 crore names being dropped from draft electoral rolls and that the exercise could disproportionately benefit the BJP. They have also alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner has compromised the fairness of the electoral process and demanded SIR be withdrawn.
What did Telangana BJP President R. Rao say about the controversy?
Rao said the SIR process was initiated by the Election Commission of India, not the BJP, and that it had also been conducted during Congress rule without any Opposition objection at the time. He argued there is no illegality in the process and accused Owaisi and Congress of trying to mislead the public.
Has SIR been conducted under Congress rule before?
According to Telangana BJP President R. Rao, the SIR exercise was also carried out during the Congress government's tenure and was not opposed by the party or its allies at the time. Rao cited this as evidence that the current Opposition criticism is politically motivated rather than principled.
What happens next in the SIR controversy?
Pressure is mounting on the Election Commission to release granular, constituency-level data on voter deletions to address transparency concerns. Both sides appear entrenched, and the dispute is expected to intensify ahead of upcoming state and national elections.
