Congress Plans Meeting on Voter List Concerns Amid Protests

New Delhi: The Indian National Congress has scheduled a significant meeting for its leadership across 12 states and union territories on November 12, 2025, to discuss the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This gathering aims to evaluate recent developments and strategise ways to amplify protests against the Election Commission, which the party accuses of facilitating voter disenfranchisement, termed 'vote chori'.

Party leaders, including state unit presidents, Legislature Party leaders, and representatives from the All India Congress Committee (AICC), are expected to convene at Indira Bhavan, the party headquarters, at 10:30 AM.

This meeting follows the commencement of the SIR process, which began on November 4, 2025, with the Election Commission reporting that approximately 49.73 crore, or 97.52%, of the 50.91 crore enumeration forms have been distributed as of Sunday afternoon.

Participants will provide updates on the revision activities in their respective regions, detailing the monitoring mechanisms established to assist voters during this process.

The SIR exercise is currently underway in states including Bihar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Notably, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry are preparing for Assembly elections scheduled for April and May 2026.

The Congress party, alongside the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), has raised concerns about the SIR in Bihar, suggesting that the removal of voters' names has adversely affected their electoral prospects.

While opposition parties have expressed objections regarding the SIR in these election-sensitive states, many are engaging with the process at the ground level, recognising that their absence could benefit their political rivals in finalising the voter list.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, previously questioned the integrity of the electoral rolls in Bihar just prior to the first phase of voting. According to sources, the upcoming meeting will instruct leaders on effectively mobilising opposition against the SIR initiatives in their regions.

In a related development, Ajay Rai, President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress, has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of colluding to remove voters' names in Bihar, which he claims has disenfranchised countless individuals and constitutes a direct assault on democratic principles. During a recent seminar commemorating the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Rai urged party members to remain vigilant against electoral malpractices related to the SIR and pledged to support them in their advocacy for voter rights.

Rai emphasised the importance of maintaining electoral integrity, stating, 'We must remain vigilant and expose malpractice in the name of SIR. It is our responsibility to ensure voters' names remain on the rolls, and if needed, we will take to the streets.'

As the Congress party ramps up its efforts to address these electoral concerns, the political landscape in India continues to evolve, with significant implications for the upcoming elections.