Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi has raised sharp questions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, criticising the scale of voter exclusions and demanding transparency from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Speaking on Sunday, Quraishi remarked that the exercise had “eliminated” nearly 14–15 crore names from the rolls, but the Commission has not disclosed how many illegal immigrants or ineligible voters were actually identified. “I would like to compliment the Election Commission for completing a very difficult mission of eliminating about 14–15 crore population of India through this exercise. I don’t know how many illegal immigrants they have found, which was the main purpose of this exercise. It’s a pity they have not disclosed this figure,” he told ANI.
The SIR, announced in October 2025, aims to remove duplicate, deceased, or ineligible entries while ensuring no eligible voter is left out. However, Quraishi warned that large-scale deletions could undermine citizens’ constitutional right to vote under Article 326, which guarantees adult suffrage.
The debate has intensified in Maharashtra, where opposition parties claim nearly two crore voters have been excluded from the draft rolls. The ECI maintains that the process is ongoing and intended to improve accuracy, but critics argue that legitimate voters risk being disenfranchised.
Quraishi’s comments highlight the central tension in the SIR exercise: balancing the removal of ineligible names with protecting the rights of eligible citizens.
