EC working on 'sinister design' to 'destroy' democracy, Oppn parties through SIR: Cong

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of working on a "sinister design" to destroy democracy and opposition parties through the SIR exercise, and vowed to take to the streets by holding a protest rally at Ramleela Maidan here in the first week of December.

Upping the ante over its 'vote chori' pitch, the Congress said the poll body's conduct during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has been "deeply disappointing" as the exercise is aimed at deleting targeted votes and demanded that it must immediately demonstrate that it is not operating under the BJP's shadow.

AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal told reporters after the meeting that the Election Commission's motive is to destroy democracy and opposition parties, which has never happened in history.

"We are going to the streets. During the first week of December, the Congress party is organising a massive rally in Ramleela Maidan with lakhs of people attending it," he told reporters, adding that the Congress will expose the Election Commission by organising the protest event.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chaired a meeting with key office-bearers from 12 states and Union Territories (UTs) where the SIR is underway, alleged that the BJP is attempting to "weaponise" the exercise of the electoral rolls process for "vote chori".

Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretaries participated in a review meeting with state unit chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 states and UTs where the SIR is underway.

The states and UTs are Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.

Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will go to the polls in 2026. Phase-II of the SIR exercise began on November 4 with the enumeration stage and will continue till December 4.

"The Congress party is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral rolls," Kharge said on X after he chaired the meeting.

At a time when public confidence in democratic institutions is already strained, the Election Commission's conduct during the SIR process has been "deeply disappointing", he said.

"It must immediately demonstrate that it is not operating under the BJP's shadow and it remembers its Constitutional oath and allegiance to the people of India, not to any ruling party," Kharge said.

"We firmly believe that the BJP is attempting to weaponise the SIR process for vote chori. And if the EC chooses to look the other way, that failure is not just administrative - it becomes a complicity of silence," the Congress chief said.

"Our workers, BLOs, and District/City/Block Presidents will therefore remain relentlessly vigilant. We will expose every attempt, however subtle, to delete genuine voters or insert bogus ones," Kharge said.

The Congress will not allow democratic safeguards to be eroded by partisan misuse of institutions, he asserted.

Venugopal said while purification of electoral rolls is an undeniably necessary objective, it must be carried out in a bona fide manner.

"The ECI's conduct thus far has been to further the BJP's 'vote chori' agenda, setting aside its Constitutional obligation of impartiality. We will relentlessly fight against their attempts to manipulate voter rolls through unfair deletions or the insertion of bogus voters to create space for the BJP to carry out its nefarious activities," he said on X.

"It is our democracy at stake, and we will stand up to every attempt - big or small - that threatens our Constitutional framework," Venugopal asserted.

After the meeting, he said that the general feeling of the Pradesh Congress Committees was that the Election Commission was purposefully trying to delete votes of some sections of the society.

"The design of the SIR itself is to delete targeted votes. This is what we experienced in Bihar also and now they are going to start it in 12 states," he said, adding that they announced on Monday a different 'Special Revision' for Assam.

"This is a sinister attempt by the Election Commission to destroy democracy in this country. It is completely unethical and completely undemocratic," he alleged.

Noting that the revision of the voter list normally takes place during elections for a longer time but it is now done within one month. Due to this, several suicides by BLOs are taking place because of pressure, he claimed, adding that they are being pressured by EC officials to complete this exercise within one month.

In Kerala, he said, the BLOs have been asked to submit the final list of the SIR on December 9, the day the first phase of local body elections will be held.

He said even though the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution for postponing the SIR exercise, the state's chief electoral officer asked the EC to defer the exercise, saying this is not the right time to conduct it, and all political parties except the BJP made the same demand, but the EC is not listening.

"It is very clear that they are working only on behalf of the BJP and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. It is quite surprising," he claimed.

Congress leader Pawan Khera also said the party's rally at Ramleela Maidan against the SIR exercise will "expose the 'mal-intention' and politicisation of the EC".

"The SIR is to delete names and not add new names of voters," he asserted. PTI ASK SKC SKC KSS KSS