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India’s SIR Dispute Sparks Protests, Court Review and Resignation Calls
Rahul Gandhi and other opposition lawmakers protested a voter-list review called SIR.
They say the process may have removed people who were allowed to vote.
The Election Commission says it removed 130 million names to clear duplicate entries.
Police stopped the lawmakers’ march and briefly detained some of them.
The lawmakers then continued their protest as a sit-in.
The Supreme Court has not suspended the chief election commissioner.
It has asked the government and the Election Commission to respond to concerns about voter registration forms.
The court may review records and reconsider decisions if it finds they lacked the required approval.
More protests are planned.
Rahul Gandhi and about 150 INDIA bloc MPs marched in New Delhi on October 6, 2026, opposing the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Police stopped the march near Parliament Street and briefly detained Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav and other lawmakers; the group continued its sit-in.
The Election Commission says SIR removed 130 million names to clear duplicate entries, while opponents allege eligible voters were deleted without due process.
The Supreme Court declined to suspend Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar but issued notices to the Centre and Election Commission about changes to voter Form 6.
The Cockroach Janta Party announced a march for October 10; the Election Commission and Centre are expected to submit responses and records to the court.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, about 150 INDIA bloc MPs, the Cockroach Janta Party, the Election Commission of India and the Supreme Court of India.
- What
- Protests and legal challenges over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls and calls for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
- Where
- New Delhi; CJP rallies were also held at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
- When
- The main march took place on October 6, 2026; CJP protests were reported on October 2, and another march was announced for October 10.
- Why
- Opponents allege the SIR process deleted eligible voters without due process; the Election Commission says it removed duplicate entries.
Opposition and critics
Election Commission and BJP
Voter-list changes
Opposition and critics
The INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party allege that eligible voters were deleted without due process.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission says the exercise removed duplicate entries; the BJP describes the cleanup as “democracy in action.”
Commission decisions and Form 6
Opposition and critics
Petitioners and critics challenge 14 SIR decisions, including changes to Form 6, and point to reported objections from two election commissioners.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission says major decisions had consensus approval and that differing views are routine; it also called Gandhi’s claims about Form 6 misleading.
Political characterization
Opposition and critics
Opposition groups are protesting and demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation or an independent SIT probe.
Election Commission and BJP
The BJP has defended the Election Commission’s autonomy and accused the opposition of backing “fake or bogus voters.”
Key facts
- Names removed
- The Election Commission says SIR struck off 130 million names to clear duplicate entries.
- October 6 march
- Rahul Gandhi marched with approximately 150 opposition INDIA bloc MPs in New Delhi.
- Police action
- Police stopped the march near Parliament Street and briefly detained several lawmakers.
- Supreme Court action
- The court refused to suspend Gyanesh Kumar and issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission about Form 6 modifications.
- Reported internal objections
- The article says Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to SIR decisions; the Election Commission said differing views are routine and major decisions had consensus approval.
- Planned protest
- The Cockroach Janta Party announced a “Jantar Mantar 2.0” march for October 10, 2026.
Quotes
Election Commission of India
India’s election administration body, responding to claims about Form 6 and the SIR
“The order for SIR in Bihar issued on 24 June 2025 was issued with the unanimous approval of the Commission. This order has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in its judgment dated 27 May 2026. In its Press Note No. 120 dated 26 September 2026, in Point 1(iii), ECI has stated that, “The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.” The statement made in this [Rahul Gandhi’s] post is misleading.”
news18.com
“Gyanesh, it’s done bro. Time to resign.”
news18.com
Sources
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