Amid concerns over the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka, the Congress has announced the formation of a high-level monitoring committee to ensure that no one loses their right to vote.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is scheduled to begin in the state on June 20. This will be followed by house visits for voter verification, which will take place from June 30 to July 29. The process will conclude with the publication of the updated electoral roll on October 7.
The Congress’ decision follows two days of strategic deliberations held at Devanahalli, where party leadership met to discuss the SIR process and upcoming elections to five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority.
Rajya Sabha member and KPCC working president GC Chandrashekar has been appointed the head of the state monitoring unit, supported by a team of MLCs, former MPs, and ministers assigned to various districts and divisions.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated that the party’s primary objective is to ensure that no eligible citizen loses their right to vote during the revision process. To achieve this, the Congress plans to train party workers to assist in completing and submitting enumeration forms issued by booth-level officers (BLO).
Shivakumar emphasised the need for impartial cooperation, calling on BLOs to set aside political affiliations to protect the integrity of the vote. "Our workers will be trained for this purpose," Shivakumar said, noting that the submission of required documentation alongside enumeration forms is critical.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil also said that the government is considering filing a petition in the Supreme Court. It would seek to challenge the legal immunity currently enjoyed by Election Commission of India (ECI) officials and request that electoral rolls compiled under the SIR be submitted to the apex court for oversight.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.