New Delhi - The Lok Sabha witnessed a stormy debate on electoral reforms today, with accusations of "vote chori" (vote theft) dominating the proceedings. The session, which was called to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and broader electoral reforms, saw heated exchanges between the government and opposition.
The opposition has been pressing for a structured discussion on the SIR process since the beginning of the Winter Session on December 1, alleging that the exercise has led to the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities. They claim that the Election Commission (EC) is working at the behest of the ruling BJP government, resulting in mistrust and a lack of transparency in the election process. Protests have been staged inside and outside Parliament, with opposition leaders holding placards reading "Stop SIR – Stop Vote Chori".
Leading the charge for the opposition, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of committing "vote chori" in collusion with the Election Commission, labeling it the "biggest anti-national act". He questioned the removal of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the EC selection panel, the 2023 law granting immunity to election commissioners, and the shortening of CCTV footage retention. Gandhi urged for full EVM access, transparent voter lists, and the reversal of recent legal changes. He also warned the poll body that the opposition would change the law retroactively and "come and find you," accusing it of misusing legal protections.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal countered the opposition's claims, asserting that the SIR exercise has been conducted multiple times since 1952 to clean up electoral rolls due to migration and rapid urbanization. He accused the Congress party of engaging in "vote chori" since the first Lok Sabha elections, including rigging elections to ensure the defeat of B.R. Ambedkar. Meghwal highlighted that the Supreme Court had validated the SIR and confirmed the Election Commission's legal authority to undertake the cleanup of the voters' list.
During the debate, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the Congress of undermining India's democratic system, alleging that Indira Gandhi won Raebareli by "vote chori". Congress MP Manish Tewari demanded either 100% counting of VVPAT slips or a return to paper ballots. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the SIR was being used to conduct a National Register of Citizens (NRC) from within, alleging an attempt to deliberately exclude certain sections from the voters list. He also highlighted the human cost of the exercise, claiming that several booth-level officers had lost their lives during the ongoing SIR process and demanded compensation for their families.
The Lok Sabha discussion saw less emphasis on meaningful reforms and more on political point-scoring, with both sides trading accusations. While most opposition parties demanded a return to paper ballots, some, like the TMC and NCP (SP), remained silent on the issue. The debate is expected to continue, with the government preparing its formal response.
