Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, questioning how many illegal immigrants have actually been identified through the exercise.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Quraishi sarcastically said the Election Commission had “eliminated” around 14–15 crore people through the exercise, while questioning the absence of publicly disclosed figures on illegal immigrants identified during the revision. His remarks were directed at the scale of voter exclusions and should not be interpreted as an official finding that 14–15 crore people have been removed from India's population. 

Quraishi questions SIR objective

Quraishi said the ECI should disclose how many illegal immigrants had been detected, particularly because identifying ineligible voters has been cited as one of the reasons for conducting the revision.

He questioned why the Commission had not publicly released such figures and said doing so would allow the public to assess the effectiveness of the exercise.

The former CEC also used the figure of 14–15 crore, equivalent to roughly 15 per cent of India's population, to criticise the extent of voter exclusions. His statement was framed as a sarcastic attack on the electoral-roll exercise rather than a claim that the country's population had actually declined by that amount. 

Former CEC calls voter deletions a concern

Quraishi has previously criticised the SIR process, arguing that the deletion of large numbers of voters could affect the democratic process.

He said voting is a constitutional right and referred to Article 326 of the Constitution, which provides for elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies based on adult suffrage, subject to constitutional and legal provisions.

According to Quraishi, the process of removing names from electoral rolls should therefore be handled with particular care so that eligible citizens are not left out.

What is the Election Commission’s stated purpose?

The ECI has said that SIR is intended to make electoral rolls more accurate and up to date by identifying issues such as duplicate registrations, deceased voters, migrated voters and names of foreign nationals who may have been included in voter lists.

The Commission has also maintained that the exercise is intended to ensure that no eligible elector is left out while removing ineligible or duplicate entries. 

The nationwide SIR exercise was announced in October 2025 by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and has subsequently been implemented in several states and Union territories.

Maharashtra voter list fuels controversy

The debate has intensified following developments in Maharashtra, where the draft electoral roll released after the SIR enumeration phase showed a substantial reduction compared with the earlier voter list.

According to figures cited in current reports, Maharashtra had 9,78,54,049 electors, while 7,71,65,562 had submitted their enumeration forms as of August 17.

The difference has become a major political issue, with opposition leaders questioning whether eligible voters could be excluded during the revision process.

Congress leader Pawan Khera has separately accused the BJP of benefiting from the alleged removal of voters in Maharashtra. These are political allegations and do not establish that the excluded names were unlawfully removed.

Opposition and ECI face-off over SIR

SIR has emerged as a contentious issue between the Election Commission, opposition parties and political groups in states preparing for elections.

Opposition leaders have raised concerns about transparency, documentation requirements and the possibility of eligible voters being left out. The ECI, meanwhile, has maintained that electoral-roll revision is necessary to ensure that voter lists remain accurate and free of ineligible entries. 

Why Quraishi’s remarks matter

Quraishi's intervention adds to the debate because he previously headed the Election Commission and is speaking from the perspective of a former constitutional election official.

His central question is not simply how many names have been excluded, but whether the ECI can demonstrate how many of those exclusions relate to the stated objective of identifying ineligible voters, including foreign nationals.

The controversy is therefore likely to remain focused on two competing priorities: maintaining clean and accurate electoral rolls while ensuring that every eligible Indian citizen retains the ability to vote.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram on Monday criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the exercise was creating a new category of “non-voting citizens”. His remarks came after former Indian diplomat Navdeep Suri publicly spoke about difficulties he faced while dealing with the SIR process in Punjab. 

Chidambaram referred to Suri's experience in a social media post and questioned how ordinary citizens would be able to navigate the verification process if a former ambassador encountered difficulties in establishing his citizenship-related credentials. Suri, who previously served as India's ambassador to Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and as High Commissioner to Australia, had raised concerns about the process and described having faced “trouble” during the ongoing electoral-roll revision. Chidambaram used the episode to question the implications of the exercise for eligible voters who may find it difficult to provide the required documentation or establish their electoral records. 

Chidambaram's criticism

The Congress leader's latest comments are part of his broader criticism of the ECI's handling of SIR. In his latest remarks, he argued that the process could leave eligible citizens without the ability to vote if their names are not retained in the electoral rolls. Another report on his comments said Chidambaram warned that nearly 10 crore eligible Indians, or around 10 per cent of the electorate, could potentially lose their voting rights if concerns surrounding the revision were not addressed. 

The controversy centres on the purpose and implementation of the SIR exercise. The Election Commission has maintained that electoral-roll revision is intended to ensure that voter lists remain accurate by identifying eligible voters and removing names of deceased, shifted, duplicate or otherwise ineligible persons. The process has nevertheless drawn criticism from opposition parties and other groups over documentation requirements and the possibility of eligible voters being left out.

Ex-Envoy's experience

Suri's reported experience has added a new dimension to the political debate because of his former diplomatic position. Chidambaram questioned whether ordinary citizens, particularly those who may not have access to older records or documents, could face greater difficulties during the verification exercise. His argument is that the experience of a former senior government representative should prompt the poll panel to examine whether the process is sufficiently accessible to all eligible voters. 

The ECI's position on electoral-roll revision remains central to the dispute. The Commission has the constitutional responsibility to prepare and revise electoral rolls, while political parties have continued to debate the manner in which the SIR is being conducted. The issue has previously triggered sharp exchanges between the poll body and opposition leaders, including over allegations concerning voter deletions and additions. 

For now, Chidambaram's remarks have renewed the political focus on SIR and the question of how eligible citizens can ensure that their names remain on electoral rolls. Any large-scale exclusion of eligible voters would have direct implications for electoral participation, making the verification process and the safeguards available to voters key points of scrutiny as the exercise progresses.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the rollout of Phase III of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, extending the nationwide voter list verification exercise to 16 states and three Union Territories. The initiative aims to ensure electoral rolls remain accurate, updated and inclusive ahead of future elections.

The third phase will be conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana and Uttarakhand. The exercise will also cover the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Chandigarh, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

CEC Urges Voters to Participate

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar appealed to all eligible voters to actively participate in the revision process by completing their Enumeration Forms. He said public participation is essential to maintaining clean and reliable electoral rolls.

The Commission described the Special Intensive Revision as a collaborative exercise involving electors, election officials and recognised political parties to enhance the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.

Large-Scale Verification Exercise

During Phase III, more than 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door verification covering approximately 36.73 crore electors across the identified states and Union Territories.

The BLOs will be supported by nearly 3.42 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) appointed by various political parties during the enumeration process. The Commission has encouraged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs at every polling station to ensure transparency and wider stakeholder participation throughout the revision exercise.

Nationwide Coverage Nears Completion

With the commencement of Phase III, the Special Intensive Revision will cover almost the entire country. The Election Commission said the exercise will remain pending only in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The schedule for these regions will be announced separately after the completion of the second phase of the national Census and keeping in view weather conditions in high-altitude and snow-bound areas.

Progress of Earlier Phases

According to the Election Commission, the first two phases of the Special Intensive Revision covered 13 states and Union Territories, involving nearly 59 crore electors.

The earlier phases were carried out with the assistance of more than 6.3 lakh Booth Level Officers and approximately 9.2 lakh Booth Level Agents nominated by political parties.

Officials said the extensive exercise is intended to strengthen the integrity of India's electoral rolls by identifying eligible voters, removing inaccuracies and ensuring every qualified citizen has an opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

The Commission reiterated that maintaining updated electoral rolls is a continuous process and called upon voters, political parties and election officials to work together for the successful implementation of the Special Intensive Revision.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced an additional declaration for citizens applying to be enrolled as new voters, requiring applicants to provide information related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The move is aimed at improving voter record verification and strengthening the accuracy of electoral rolls.

Under the revised application process, individuals submitting Form 6—used for fresh voter registration—will now be required to furnish details regarding whether they or their parents are listed in the electoral rolls prepared during the last Special Intensive Revision. The requirement has been incorporated through administrative instructions rather than a formal amendment to Form 6, according to Election Commission officials. (The New Indian Express)

Additional Declaration Made Mandatory

Officials said the declaration is intended to help election authorities establish linkages between new applicants and existing electoral records, thereby reducing the need for multiple supporting documents during the verification process. 

For applicants using the online registration portal, the declaration has become a mandatory step. The application cannot be submitted unless the required information is provided. 

Three Options for Applicants

According to reports, new applicants are asked to select one of the following declarations while completing the registration process:

• Their own name exists in the electoral roll prepared during the last SIR.

• The name of a parent or grandparent (father, mother, grandfather or grandmother) exists in the electoral roll prepared during the last SIR.

• Neither the applicant nor their parents or grandparents are listed in the last SIR electoral roll. 

Election officials say these declarations assist in mapping family records within the electoral database and facilitate smoother verification during enrolment.

No Formal Amendment to Form 6

While reports initially suggested that Form 6 itself had been modified with an additional column, Election Commission officials clarified that the statutory form has not been amended. Instead, the declaration has been introduced through operational instructions accompanying the application process. Similar declarations were previously used during the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Bihar and have now been extended to new voter registrations. 

Part of Wider Electoral Roll Verification

The latest requirement comes as the Election Commission continues implementing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in several states to update electoral rolls by identifying duplicate, shifted, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries while ensuring that eligible citizens are enrolled. 

Election authorities maintain that the verification process is designed to improve the integrity and accuracy of voter databases. The Commission has also stated that the SIR process is transparent, constitutional and intended to streamline voter registration by linking new applications with existing electoral records wherever possible. 

The revised declaration is expected to become a key component of new voter enrolment as electoral roll revision exercises continue across different states ahead of upcoming elections.