Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 24: Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a fierce critique of the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI), claiming that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been misused to undermine citizens’ constitutional right to vote.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi alleged that the SIR process threatens the principle of “one person, one vote”, allowing the BJP, rather than the electorate, to influence who holds power. “Wherever there’s SIR, there’s vote theft. What is being done in Gujarat in the name of SIR is not an administrative process—it is a well-planned, organised, and strategic vote chori,” he wrote.

Gandhi also questioned the Election Commission’s impartiality, asserting, “SIR has been turned into a weapon to dismantle the constitutional right to vote… and the gravest truth is that the Election Commission is no longer democracy’s guardian; it has become the chief accomplice in this vote-theft conspiracy.”

The Congress leader accused authorities of selectively removing voters from communities and polling booths that traditionally support Congress. “Wherever the BJP sees a potential defeat, voters are simply erased from the system,” he claimed, pointing to past incidents in Aland and Rajura and warning that a similar pattern is emerging in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and other states where SIR is underway.

Gandhi’s remarks followed allegations from the Gujarat Congress, which accused large-scale manipulation during the SIR exercise. The party claimed that while only a small number of objections were initially filed, millions of objections (Form 7) were suddenly submitted after January 15, just before the January 18 deadline.

The state unit further alleged that requests for detailed information from the Election Commission went unanswered. “This is because the Election Commission has mortgaged both its responsibility and accountability to the ruling party,” the Gujarat Congress said.