Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday strongly defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out across several states. He said preventing illegal infiltration is crucial for India’s national security and protecting the country’s democratic system.
Home Minster Amit Shah criticised Opposition parties for rejecting the exercise and said it was unfortunate that some political parties are trying to weaken the campaign to remove infiltrators, He did not name any party, but his comments followed sharp criticism from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a day earlier, who had called the SIR process “chaotic, coercive and dangerous”.
Amit Shah Highlights Security and Democracy Concerns
Amit Shah stressed that the Border Security Force (BSF) is monitoring all international borders to prevent illegal entry into the country. He said infiltration harms not only national safety but also threatens India’s democratic structure.
According to the Home Minister, some political groups are opposing the Election Commission’s updated verification exercise. Shah said, “These parties are opposing the SIR process initiated by the Election Commission to cleanse and verify the voter list.”
He stated that the government is committed to eliminating unauthorized migrants influencing India’s elections. Shah said, “Only Indian citizens have the right to decide who becomes the Chief Minister or Prime Minister of this nation. No infiltrator has the right to pollute our democratic system or influence our democratic decisions.”
He urged citizens to support the verification drive, describing the SIR as necessary to secure and purify the electoral system. Shah also warned parties accused of protecting infiltrators that voters would reject such actions, especially in important elections like those in Bihar.
What is Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a large-scale, comprehensive, and time-bound exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to purify, verify, and update the country's electoral rolls. It involves a fresh, house-to-house enumeration process by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter lists.
Mamata Banerjee Raises Strong Objections
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent a direct letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, arguing that the SIR process had reached a “deeply alarming stage”. She said the exercise had been launched without proper planning and had “crippled the system from day one.”
Banerjee wrote that the verification drive was being carried out in an “unplanned and dangerous” manner, without providing officials or the public with proper instructions or preparation.
She claimed many state officials were working “under extreme pressure and fear of punitive action”, leading to inaccurate entries, which could risk genuine voters losing their right to vote. Banerjee warned that the exercise had become “structurally unsound” and that its “credibility [was] at severe risk.”
Demands for Changes in the Process
The Chief Minister asked the Election Commission to stop the SIR immediately, end any forced or rushed procedures, and provide proper training and support to ground-level officers. She urged the Commission to “thoroughly reassess” its strategy, deadlines, and working method.
Banerjee cautioned that failure to fix the situation urgently could cause irreversible long-term damage to officials, citizens, and the election system. She said the situation requires “responsibility, humanity and decisive corrective action.”
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