‘Deletion-Driven Exercise’: M. A. Baby Petitions EC To Halt Special Intensive Revision

New Delhi: CPI(M) General Secretary M. A. Baby has urged the Election Commission of India to immediately abandon the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that the exercise has turned arbitrary, exclusionary and a direct threat to the fundamental right to vote.

In a petition submitted to the Chief Election Commissioner, M. A. Baby raised grave concerns over the manner in which the SIR is being carried out across the country. He stated that while periodic revision of electoral rolls is a necessary democratic process, the present exercise departs from established law, settled practice and constitutional safeguards. Instead of strengthening the system, it has created fear, confusion and large-scale uncertainty among voters.

M.A Baby pointed out that conducting such an extensive and intrusive revision just months before elections, within an unrealistically short timeframe, risks serious errors and wrongful deletions. Reports from several states indicate intense pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), with disturbing instances of extreme distress emerging among officials and voters, particularly in West Bengal.

The petition also highlights the failure to consult recognised political parties before launching the exercise, despite their role as equal stakeholders in the democratic process. M. A. Baby stated that the responsibility for identifying and deleting ineligible voters rests with Booth Level Officers and Electoral Registration Officers. Shifting the burden onto already enrolled voters to prove their eligibility under threat of deletion is arbitrary and contrary to established procedure.

The petition highlights serious concerns that have emerged during the implementation of the SIR in several states. In Bihar and other regions, non-delivery of enumeration forms, lack of awareness about procedures, limited digital access and unreasonable documentary requirements have led to exclusion. Marginalised communities, minorities and rural women have been disproportionately affected. In Bihar, the proportion of voters to population declined during the exercise, raising fears that similar patterns may be repeated in other states.

There have also been widespread reports of misuse of Form 7 in states such as Assam and Rajasthan, where individuals have filed hundreds of objections. In Assam, mass third-party objections using misappropriated EPIC details and mobile numbers have been reported, along with allegations of harassment of Bengali-speaking Muslim voters.

In Kerala, voters whose names were wrongly deleted are being compelled to apply afresh through Form 6, invalidating their earlier EPICs. Errors in older voter lists are being used to issue notices against voters enrolled after 2002. Unusually high numbers of applications and large-scale constituency shifts have raised further concern.

In Tamil Nadu, over 97 lakh voters were removed from the base list, with a large number marked as “dead” or “not traceable,” far beyond reasonable demographic trends. Married women, tenants and displaced persons have been particularly affected.

West Bengal has witnessed one of the most controversial implementations of the SIR. An opaque software system is being used to generate mass notices citing “logical discrepancies.” Electoral officers are being forced to handle cases involving nearly 1.5 crore electors within extremely short timelines, while a parallel system involving micro-observers has been introduced.

The petition also raises serious legal concerns. While citizenship is required for voter enrolment, its determination does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 provide that an intensive revision should begin with a blank roll and focus on systematic addition. The present SIR does not follow that framework and appears structured around deletions.

Stating that the right to vote is the foundation of Indian democracy, M. A. Baby urged the Election Commission to withdraw the current exercise and ensure that the electoral process remains transparent, lawful and inclusive.