The opposition INDIA bloc has put forward a set of demands regarding the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
In New Delhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called for the return to ballot-paper voting and urged electoral rolls to be prepared before the SIR exercise in future elections.
The meeting came amid a growing political dispute over the SIR process and reports about differences within the Election Commission. The INDIA bloc’s demands are voter-list transparency, protections for voters whose names are removed, changes to the voter-registration process and greater accountability within the poll panel.
INDIA Bloc's Demand For Ballot Voting
Kharge made one of the most compelling demands: ballot papers should be used in future elections instead of EVMs. Kharge said that returning to paper ballots would restore confidence in electoral processes. His statement was part of the INDIA bloc's overall push for changes in the conduct and oversight of elections.
The demand is a significant political stance taken by the opposition alliance that has repeatedly raised questions about election-related procedures. The Election Commission still conducts elections with EVMs under India’s existing electoral system. The ECI also insists that the electoral process is guided by the laws and rules.
Demand For Pre-SIR Electoral Rolls
Another major demand is for electoral rolls. Kharge called for rolls prepared before the SIR exercise in future elections. Some of the opposition has expressed concern over the very large-scale revision of voter lists and the possibility that eligible voters may be left out of the process.
The ECI's SIR exercise is intended to update electoral rolls by validating voter information and identifying entries that need correction or removal. The process has been expanded in phases across the country. As per the government, the third phase of SIR covers 16 states and three Union Territories and Booth Level Officers conduct house-to-house verification.
The Election Commission has also introduced measures throughout the ongoing process to address concerns. On September 26, it said Booth Level Officers would visit the homes of some voters who received notices over unmapped or logical discrepancies on voter identification to collect documents.
It also ordered an ECINet system review by a committee which was chaired by a senior election official and an independent technical expert.
Demands Over Deleted Voters And Transparency
Opposition has also been demanding more transparency with electoral rolls. Congress has called for the voters who are removed to have their names disclosed and that they are given a chance to appeal.
The issue has become particularly heated following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over decisions related to the SIR exercise. The objections were recorded at least 14 times over a 10-month period, they said. The Election Commission has said that focusing only on internal discussions does not portray the full picture of its functioning.
The ECI also insists that its orders are legal and in accordance with procedures. The Commission has reviewed aspects of its voter-roll software following concerns in recent reporting.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar Under Opposition Pressure
The INDIA bloc meeting also included demands on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Kharge has called for Kumar’s resignation in the wake of the controversy over the SIR and the alleged conflict in the Election Commission. Opposition parties are putting their demands down to concerns about poll panel functioning.
And the conflict has also reached the judiciary. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition challenging aspects of the Election Commission's functioning under Kumar and whether the SIR exercise is legal or not. That means questions regarding electoral roll revision and the function of the poll body are now being studied as well.
What is next?
The INDIA bloc is calling for coordination among its political parties on electoral roll revision and elections. The alliance's recent demands come as the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission are the major political questions ahead of elections.
The ECI, meanwhile, has continued its electoral-roll revision work, making procedural changes - home visits for voters who are still dealing with certain discrepancies and a review of its digital voter-roll system.
The opposition and the Election Commission’s competing positions are likely to continue to be part of the larger debate over voter registration, electoral rolls, EVMs and transparency in India’s election system.
The INDIA bloc’s demand for ballot voting instead of EVMs is therefore part of a larger six-point push for changes to the electoral process. The debate now involves not only voting technology but voter-list revision, access to electoral data, registration procedures and the institutional functioning of the Election Commission.
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