Not opposed to SIR, but want ECI to answer Congress questions: Karnataka Min

Karnataka Congress is attaching a lot of importance to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as Election Commission of India prepares to launch its house-to-house enumeration on Tuesday. The ruling party is approaching the exercise with the suspicion that BJP may interfere with the exercise.

Congress was not opposed to SIR, home minister Priyank Kharge told the media on Monday. But no voter should lose his/her franchise merely because of a spelling mistake or minor discrepancy in name, he said.

"The election commission should first answer the questions raised by Congress regarding the SIR exercise. Only after addressing those concerns, should it proceed with the revision of electoral rolls," Kharge said.


Congress has raised 8-10 objections, one of which seeks clarification on 'logical discrepancy'. "On what basis can a voter be removed from the electoral roll? If a voter's name is to be deleted, a legal notice must be issued, a speaking order must be passed and the individual should be given an opportunity to present his case," Kharge said.

Congress has been conducting a statewide outreach campaign since June 23, raising awareness about SIR to ensure its traditional support base does not lose voting rights. The party's last public meeting will be held in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Congress' SIR committee convener VR Sudarshan said block-level agents have been directed to undertake door-to-door campaigns and educate voters about the revision process.

ECI said voter enumeration through house visits will continue till July 29 and draft rolls will be released on August 5. Voters can file claims or objections till September 4. The final voter rolls will be declared on October 7.