Centre Agrees to Hold Debate on Electoral Roll Revision After Opposition Protests

The Centre on Tuesday agreed to hold a discussion on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, following persistent protests and disruptions by the Opposition in Parliament.

A broader debate on electoral reforms has been scheduled for December 9, while a separate discussion on Vande Mataram will take place on December 8, government sources confirmed.

According to officials, next week’s debate will primarily focus on long-pending electoral reforms. However, Opposition parties are expected to raise concerns regarding the SIR process, including allegations of voter deletions and the recent death of a Booth Level Officer (BLO) during the revision exercise.

The government, on its part, is likely to counter these claims by highlighting past challenges such as booth capturing and denial of voting rights. It is also expected to emphasise that during the recent Bihar elections, no polling station required countermanding or a repoll—an achievement it views as evidence of improved electoral integrity.

Earlier in the day, repeated Opposition demands for an immediate discussion on the SIR exercise led to multiple disruptions in both Houses. Leaders argued that the revision process could compromise democratic participation if not conducted transparently.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the government for delaying the debate, calling the refusal “unfortunate for the country and harmful for democracy.” He accused the Centre of avoiding scrutiny over a critical stage of the electoral process.

Members of the INDIA bloc have been demanding greater transparency in the implementation of the SIR. They staged a protest at Parliament’s Makar Dwar, holding placards reading “Stop SIR – Stop Vote Chori”, signalling their apprehension over potential manipulation of the voter rolls.