Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Fadnavis Uses Sibal Footage to Challenge Congress SIR Protests
Devendra Fadnavis shared an old video of Kapil Sibal speaking in Parliament about voter lists.
Fadnavis says the video shows that Congress once supported the process it now protests.
In the video, Sibal talks about correcting voter lists by removing duplicate or deceased voters and updating information after boundary changes.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra oppose the current process.
They say many people have been left off voter lists and want the process stopped.
Election officials in Maharashtra say they are working to help eligible people register and check the lists.
They are holding camps at colleges and universities and plan further camps at polling stations on October 10 and 11, 2026.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis shared parliamentary footage of former law minister Kapil Sibal discussing the Special Intensive Revision process.
Fadnavis said the footage showed a contrast between Congress's past support for the process and its current opposition.
In the clip, Sibal described removing duplicate and deceased voters' names and updating rolls after constituency boundary changes.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have protested the SIR and allege that 13 crore people were disenfranchised; they have also called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Maharashtra election officials are holding voter registration and verification drives, including campus camps and polling-station camps scheduled for October 10 and 11, 2026.
- Who
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, former Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal, and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
- What
- Fadnavis shared old parliamentary footage of Sibal discussing SIR, criticizing Congress's current opposition to the process.
- When
- Fadnavis shared the footage on Friday; the article also reports voter camps scheduled for October 10 and 11, 2026.
- Where
- The political protests took place in central Delhi; voter registration drives are underway across Maharashtra.
- Why
- Fadnavis argues the footage conflicts with Congress's current stance. Congress says the SIR has disenfranchised people and is demanding that it be halted.
Congress and Opposition
Fadnavis and BJP
Whether the SIR should continue
Congress and Opposition
Congress leaders oppose the process, allege that 13 crore people were disenfranchised, and demand that the revision be halted.
Fadnavis and BJP
Fadnavis and BJP leaders characterize the revision as a standard voter-roll exercise and cite Sibal's parliamentary remarks as evidence Congress previously supported its framework.
Effect on eligible voters
Congress and Opposition
Congress says the process has resulted in people being left off draft electoral rolls.
Fadnavis and BJP
The Maharashtra election authorities say their registration and verification drives aim to ensure eligible citizens are included and ineligible entries removed.
- Process
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls
- Footage shared by
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
- Person in footage
- Former Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal
- Congress allegation
- Congress leaders allege 13 crore people were disenfranchised during the SIR process.
- Sibal's stated examples
- The footage describes removing duplicate entries and deceased voters' names, and updating rolls after boundary reorganisations.
- Maharashtra campus camps
- Held from October 5 to October 9; Booth Level Officers assisted eligible students.
- Further registration camps
- Scheduled at designated polling stations on October 10 and 11, 2026.
- Public voter list
- The article says the absent or shifted voter list is published on the Maharashtra CEO website.