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Congress MLA Warns Against Politicizing Electoral Roll Revision Exercise

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous has cautioned against using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a political weapon, calling for it to remain a routine, transparent exercise. She emphasized the need for proper training of Booth Level Officers and widespread voter awareness to ensure smooth implementation. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has directed 22 States and Union Territories to complete preparatory work for the second phase of SIR, scheduled to begin in April 2026. The ECI has also announced the schedule for biennial Rajya Sabha elections to fill 37 seats across 10 states.

Key Points: Congress MLA: Don't Use Electoral Roll Revision as Political Weapon

  • SIR must not be a political weapon
  • Proper training needed for Booth Level Officers
  • Transparency crucial for public trust
  • ECI directs 22 states for 2026 SIR prep
3 min read

"SIR should not be used as political weapon, misused in any manner": Congress' Sofia Firdous

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous says Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls must be transparent and not misused as a political tool.

"SIR should be a normal exercise. It should not be used as a political weapon and misused in any manner. - Sofia Firdous"

Bhubaneswar, February 21

Congress MLA Sofia Firdous on Friday said the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls should be conducted as a routine exercise and must not be "used as a political weapon."

Speaking to ANI on the issue, Firdous said, "SIR should be a normal exercise. It should not be used as a political weapon and misused in any manner."

The Congress leader underlined the importance of adequate training for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to ensure the smooth implementation of the exercise.

"We will expect that, first of all, proper training of all BLOs has to be done. Proper awareness has to be spread amongst all the people and all the voters also, so that they can go and understand if their name is there in the list, what documentation is needed," she said.

Firdous further stressed that transparency in the process is crucial to maintain public trust.

"It should be done in a fully transparent manner, which is something we all expect," she added.

She also assured cooperation from her party, stating, "We will also cooperate, and we will expect that the SIR will be carried out with utmost transparency."

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday directed Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of 22 States and Union Territories to complete preparatory work for the second phase of the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which is expected to begin in April 2026.

The letter has been addressed to Chief Electoral Officers of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, the NCT of Delhi, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tripura, Telangana, and Uttarakhand.

The ECI has requested that all preparatory activities related to the revision exercise be completed at the earliest to ensure a smooth rollout of the process from April 2026.

Currently, a nationwide SIR is being carried out in 12 states and union territories. These states and UTs are: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Earlier, ECI announced the schedule for the upcoming biennial elections to the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to fill the 37 seats across 10 states, as the members are set to complete their term in April 2026, a press note stated.

According to the press note, the term of 37 members who were elected from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana will conclude in the month of April, vacating the seats for new members to be elected.

The notification will be issued on February 26, commencing the election process. The last date of nominations is March 5, followed by scrutiny on March 6. The candidates can withdraw their nominations till March 9.

The polling is scheduled to take place on March 16, with the counting of votes on the same day at 5 pm. The election process will be completed by March 20.

The ECI has instructed that only integrated violet colour sketch pens must be used for marking the preferences on the ballot paper.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Finally, someone said it! In my area during the last revision, there was so much confusion. Many elderly people didn't know how to check or update their names. Awareness is key, just like the MLA said.
A
Aman W
While I agree with the principle, it's a bit rich coming from a Congress leader. All parties have been guilty of politicizing administrative processes when it suits them. The focus should be on the ECI to ensure neutrality.
S
Sarah B
As an observer of Indian politics, transparency in electoral rolls is non-negotiable. The detailed schedule and state lists from the ECI are a good step. Hope the process lives up to the expectations.
K
Karthik V
The timing is always suspicious before elections. Why is there a "special" revision only in certain states? Makes you wonder. The EC must ensure it's a routine, nationwide exercise without any bias.
M
Meera T
Good points on training and awareness. In villages, many people are not tech-savvy. BLOs should visit door-to-door to help. Our vote is our right, and our name on the list is the first step! 🙏

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