ECI's SIR Phase II Provokes Political Debate: Allegations and Responses

The second phase of the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has sparked political controversy, attracting criticism from various political leaders. Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the INDIA bloc of opposing the exercise to gain Muslim votes. He criticized the West Bengal government and suggested it parallels the Government of Bangladesh.

Simultaneously, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged widespread 'vote scams' in multiple constituencies, casting doubts on the ECI's accountability. Chaturvedi referenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of 'fake voters' being added in Karnataka, confirmed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.

In Maharashtra, Aaditya Thackeray claimed voter list discrepancies led to Maha Vikas Aghadi's electoral defeat and potentially influence the upcoming Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation elections. The ECI plans to conduct SIR across 12 states and territories, with the final voter rolls to be published by February 2026, as per Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.