[Marxistindia] Press Release

[news from the cpi(m)]

February 14, 2026

 

Press Release

 

Shri. M. A. Baby, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India
(Marxist) has written a Petition to the Chief Election Commissioner,
regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls.

We are herewith releasing the text of the Petition for publication.

 

(Muralidharan)

For CPI(M) Central Committee Office

 

 

February 10, 2026

 

The Chief Election Commissioner

Election Commission of India

Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road

New Delhi - 110 001

 

Dear Sir,

 

We are once again approaching you expressing our grave concern regarding the
ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls.

 

While we recognise that periodic revision of electoral rolls is a routine
and essential democratic exercise, the manner, timing, and methodology of
the present SIR depart sharply from established law, past practice, and
constitutional principles. Far from being a routine, transparent, and
citizen-friendly process, the present SIR has turned into a chaotic,
arbitrary, and exclusionary exercise that threatens both the integrity of
the electoral rolls and the fundamental right to vote.

 

Unrealistic Timeframe: Undertaking an extensive and intrusive revision
exercise just months before elections, within an unrealistically compressed
timeframe inevitably vitiates the electoral atmosphere and is fraught with
the danger of large-scale errors and exclusions.

 

This exercise, as reports have indicated, has led to a number of BLOs
succumbing to pressure and unfortunately taking their own lives. It has also
led to distress among a number of voters who also have chosen the same path,
especially in West Bengal. 

 

Lack of Consultation: As we had pointed out in our initial petition to you,
recognised political parties, who are an equal stakeholder in the democratic
process in our country were not taken into confidence prior to the launch of
this exercise. 

 

Burden on Voters: To reiterate, the responsibility for identifying and
deleting ineligible voters ordinarily rests with Booth Level Officers (BLOs)
and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Imposing the burden on
already-enrolled voters to re-establish their eligibility, failing which
deletion is 
threatened, is arbitrary, unlawful, and contrary to settled procedure.

 

Experience of Implementation

 

There are several issues that came up during the implementation of this
exercise both in Bihar earlier and in the other states where the exercise is
on currently. Non-delivery of enumeration forms, lack of awareness of
alternative procedures, limited or no access to digital means apart from
unreasonable documentary requirements has led to exclusion. The marginalised
and minorities, especially women in the rural areas, have been
disproportionally impacted.  

 

Like in Bihar where we saw the proportion of voters to population decrease,
we fear the same will be repeated in other states as well.

 

Widespread misuse of Form 7 by individuals, in some cases a single
individual filing hundreds of these forms have surfaced in Assam, Rajasthan
and some other states. 

 

Our apprehension that the design and implementation of the SIR would closely
resemble the proposed NRC exercise, and would lead to selective
disenfranchisement of certain communities, is turning true. 

 

State-Specific Experiences 

 

Assam: In Assam it has been reported that there is widespread misuse of Form
7 through mass third-party objections filed using misappropriated Election
Photo Identity Card (EPIC) and mobile numbers. In districts such as Sribhumi
(Karimganj), single individuals have filed hundreds of objections. Media
reports and complaints allege harassment of Bengali-speaking Muslim voters
and pressure on BLOs by political actors.

 

Kerala: Voters erroneously deleted are being forced to apply afresh using
Form 6, rendering their old EPICs invalid and treating them as new voters
for no fault of theirs. Errors in the ECI's own pre-2002 voter lists are
being used to issue notices and raise objections against voters registered
after 2002. Abnormally high volumes of Forms 6, 6A, and 8, large-scale
constituency shifts and lack of transparency in publishing data, raise
serious concerns.

 

Tamil Nadu: Over 97 lakh voters were removed from the base list, with
disproportionately high numbers marked as "dead" or "not traceable," far
exceeding plausible demographic trends. Improper notices are being issued,
searchable lists are unavailable, and political parties have not been
provided relevant data for verification. Married women, tenants, and
displaced persons are disproportionately affected.

 

West Bengal: An untested and opaque software system is being used to flag
"logical discrepancies," leading to mass, automated notice generation,
contrary to representations made before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Electoral
officers are being forced into quasi-judicial determinations affecting
nearly 1.5 crore electors within impossibly short timelines. A parallel
system with the appointment of micro-observers undermining the regular
channels of the EC has been put in place in the state.

 

The SIR in West Bengal has turned out to be one of the most controversial.
Large sections of the population are going through nightmares and a number
of voters have taken their own lives unable to cope with it. 

 

Legal Concerns

 

While citizenship is a prerequisite for voter enrolment, its determination
does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission of India.
Under the guise of the SIR what is becoming apparent is the initiation of
the process to determine citizenship. Utterances by the Assam Chief Minister
have only added grist to the mill. 

 

The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors
Rules, 1960 clearly lay down that in the case of an intensive revision the
Rules applicable to first-time preparation of electoral rolls apply. Such a
revision proceeds on a "blank roll", where additions are made. The present
SIR does not begin with a blank roll, nor does it provide for systematic
addition. Instead, it is designed to delete names defeating the very purpose
of the law.

 

While over the past few years various measures including vote from home for
the elderly and disabled have been put in place, in this SIR exercise voters
both these sections have been summoned for hearings at inaccessible centres
far away from their places of residence. 

 

The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy. Any process that
threatens its universal and equal exercise must be halted and reconsidered
with utmost seriousness.

 

In view of the above, we once again urge the Election Commission of India to
abandon this exercise which is turning into a war against the people. 

 

 

 

 

 

M. A. Baby

(General Secretary)

 

 

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