SIR Row Escalates: Reaches SC, Opposition Steps Up EC Attack, INDIA Bloc To Meet On Sept 30

Opposition parties intensified their campaign against the Election Commission on Saturday as the row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls widened, with street protests, legal challenges and political coordination gathering pace.

The INDIA bloc is likely to meet in New Delhi on September 30 to discuss the SIR, reported differences within the poll panel and a fresh move seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Congress Working Committee will meet on September 29 to finalise its strategy. The Opposition is preparing a third removal notice against Kumar, which is expected to be submitted in both Houses of Parliament after legal vetting.

The mobilisation follows an Indian Express report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions concerning electoral rolls. The reported objections covered changes to Form 6, additions and deletions of voters and centralised control of electoral-roll data.

The issue has also produced an unusual political alignment in West Bengal. CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby contacted TMC chief Mamata Banerjee after seeking a coordinated Opposition response. Banerjee agreed that the developments warranted joint action, bringing the two political rivals onto the same side of the Election Commission issue.

On the streets, AISA held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday, demanding Kumar's removal and opposing the SIR. Several protesters, including AISA leader Neha Bora, CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and activist Yogendra Yadav, were detained. Congress also held protests in several states. Separately, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Kumar demanding his resignation and warned of further agitation.

The controversy has now reached the Supreme Court through a fresh petition by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, which seeks an independent probe into alleged electoral-roll irregularities and a forensic audit of ECINet and ERONet databases across 30 states and Union Territories. It also seeks preservation of server logs, databases, communications and metadata dating back to October 1, 2025.

Adding another layer, NDA allies LJP (Ram Vilas), TDP and Rashtriya Lok Morcha have sought clarification from the EC over the reported objections.

The Election Commission has maintained that differing views are normal during deliberations and that its final SIR-related decisions were unanimous and legally valid.