Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 28: Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Monday hit out at the BJP-led central government after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories.
Speaking to the media, Kishor said that no political strategy or government exercise can save a party once the people turn against it. “SIR was done in Bihar. What difference did it make? Was anyone’s name struck off? A few people did face difficulties. BJP can try all it wants — delete someone’s name, scare someone or bother someone — but if people turn against you, do any SIR or FIR, there will be nobody to save you,” Kishor said while interacting with reporters.
His statement came after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced on Monday that the second phase of SIR will be carried out across Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The final voter list will be published on February 7, 2026.
The first phase of the SIR was conducted in Bihar in September ahead of the State Assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CEC Kumar said the revision exercise aims to ensure accuracy and inclusion in the electoral rolls. According to the ECI, printing and training will take place from October 28 to November 3, followed by the Enumeration Phase from November to December 4. The Draft Electoral Rolls will be released on December 9, and claims and objections will be accepted until January 8, 2026. The Notice Phase for hearing and verification will continue until January 31, with the final rolls published on February 7, 2026.
CEC Kumar clarified that separate orders will be issued for Assam due to its special provisions under Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, which is linked to the Assam Accord. “Under the supervision of the Supreme Court, the checking of citizenship in Assam is about to be completed. Hence, this nationwide order would not apply to Assam,” he said.
Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the ECI has also included Aadhaar in the list of 12 indicative documents for voter verification, as mentioned in its September 9 order related to the Bihar SIR.
While the Election Commission continues its large-scale voter list verification drive, Kishor’s remarks have added a political edge, questioning the intent behind such revisions ahead of key upcoming elections.