Rahul Gandhi raises questions on SIR; says Cong will fight it politically, organisationally, legally

NEW DELHI, Nov 18: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday raised questions over the SIR process at a meeting with key AICC office-bearers of 12 states and Union Territories where the revision of electoral rolls is underway, and said the party must fight this politically, organisationally and legally, sources said.
During the meeting, Gandhi also said it is the Election Commission’s duty to provide clean electoral rolls but instead, it was trying to put the onus on political parties, according to the sources.
Gandhi claimed that the procedure is being adopted hurriedly and claimed that it is intended to delete genuine voters, the sources said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Gandhi and AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal participated in the review meeting with state unit chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 states and UTs where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is underway.
Upping the ante over its ‘vote chori’ pitch, the Congress said the Election Commission’s conduct during the SIR process has been “deeply disappointing” and demanded that the poll body must immediately demonstrate that it is not operating under the BJP’s shadow.
Kharge, who chaired the meeting with key office-bearers of the 12 states and UTs where the SIR is underway, alleged that the BJP is attempting to weaponise the process for “vote chori”.“We held a comprehensive strategy review with AICC general secretaries, AICC in-charges, PCCs, CLPs and AICC secretaries from the states/UTs where the SIR process is underway. The Congress Party is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral rolls,” Kharge said on X after he chaired the meeting.
Subsequent to facing a severe drubbing in Bihar, where the NDA cruised to victory with 202 of the 243 seats against the Mahagathbandhan’s 35, the Congress has questioned the role of the Election Commission (EC) in the poll process. (PTI)