‘SC needs to stop this!’: Kapil Sibal alleges BJP targeting Muslim voters in SIR drive

New Delhi: Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday accused the Election Commission of conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to manipulate voter lists, calling on the Supreme Court to intervene and halt widespread name removals.

The former Union minister alleged that the nationwide revision drive in several states is designed to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in upcoming elections.

Sibal’s comments followed media reports indicating that in Godda district, Jharkhand, BJP representatives were attempting to purge voters, particularly those from minority communities. The reports noted that Booth Level Officers, local government workers serving under the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress coalition state administration, had raised concerns regarding the activity.

In a social media statement posted to X, Sibal denounced what he termed the "politics of exclusion."

"BJP agents: Target Muslims, seek bulk deletions. Supreme Court needs to stop this!" Sibal wrote.

"SIR is an exercise: To manipulate the voters list. Help BJP win elections!" he added.

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His statement comes a day after senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chief Rahul Gandhi, launched sharp attacks against the poll panel, referring to it as the "BJP Kursi Bachao Aayog" (Save the BJP Chair Commission) and "Vote Chori Aayog" (Vote Theft Commission).

Kharge and Gandhi asserted that a scheme by the ruling party to undermine democratic processes through voter theft had been exposed, warning that the electorate would respond at the ballot box.

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Gandhi highlighted the exclusion of more than 2.06 crore electors from draft rolls in Maharashtra following the SIR process. He alleged that the BJP and election authorities were modifying their strategy continuously to guarantee electoral victories.

A government reliant on vote theft disregards the public, Gandhi added, arguing that the ruling party neither heeds nor honours the electorate's mandate.

PTI