Pragatipara Sanghatanegala Okkuta and Kalyana Karnataka Horata Samiti organised a one-day workshop on Special Intensive Revision in Kalaburagi city on February 1. It focused on citizenship, voter lists, and the problems faced by poor and marginalised communities due to the SIR exercise.
Progressive thinker Shivasundar painted a stark picture of the consequences of recent SIR-related exclusions. “Removing deceased names and adding those who have turned 18 is the Election Commission’s job. No one opposes that, but denying citizens their official records under the SIR framework is a different matter. Without these documents, millions are being considered outsiders in their own country,” he said.
Mr. Shivasundar cited Bihar as a cautionary example, where 65 lakh people, including 18 lakh Muslims, have reportedly been excluded from the SIR list. Across 13 States, an estimated 6 crore people face similar scrutiny. Those born between 1987 and 2004 are being asked to submit documents proving not only their birth, but also that of their parents in India. “This is not just paperwork; it’s a form of warfare, though there is no bloodshed, but people’s very existence is being questioned,” he cautioned.
Activist K. Prakash explained that preparing the voter list is the job of the Election Commission. However, he said, the current SIR verification process is going much beyond this. “Being on the voter list has always been considered proof of being an Indian citizen,” he said. “Now, even people who have voter identity cards are being asked for extra documents. Poor and marginalised communities are affected the most because they often do not have these papers.”
The workshop ended with an interactive session with students.
Basavaraj Deshmukh, who presided over the session, reminded everyone that every vote matters in a democracy and encouraged holding more such awareness programmes.
Addressing another event organised by the Committee for Protection of Constitution at Kannada Bhavana, in Kalaburagi, Mr. Shivasundar claimed that the SIR exercise targeted women, tribal communities, minorities, Dalits and economically weaker sections.
“The SIR is not just a revision of electoral rolls, but a systematic war against minorities, tribal communities, Dalits, women and other marginalised sections of society. If you do not resist this war with a united fight, you will have to live like second-grade citizens in your own motherland,” he said.
Alleging political motives behind the exercise, he said the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using constitutional bodies, such as the Election Commission, to serve electoral interests. He said that the SIR process was effectively testing the citizenship of voters rather than merely updating electoral records.
“In a normal revision of electoral rolls, Booth Level Officers visit homes to verify whether any voter has died, shifted residence or if a new voter has become eligible. But in this SIR, the first question asked is whether you are a citizen of India. Most Indians, especially tribal communities, minorities, poor people and women, do not possess the documents that the ECI is seeking to prove citizenship. If this continues, many will lose their voting rights,” he said.
He argued that the framers of the Indian Constitution had envisioned a democratic, socialist republic guaranteeing equality and freedom to all citizens. “The Constitution guarantees equality and freedom to every citizen. SIR is a conspiracy to undermine these constitutional values by denying rights to large sections of people. This is not merely a revision of electoral rolls. It is a massacre of democratic and civil rights,” he alleged.
Citing figures from other States, Mr. Shivasundar claimed that large numbers of voters had been excluded during similar exercises. He alleged that most of the 65 lakh voters in Bihar, 74 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu, and nearly three crore voters in Uttar Pradesh who were excluded, were either Muslims or those opposed to the ruling BJP.
“Through SIR, the ruling party is attempting to delete its opponents from the electoral rolls so that it can win elections comfortably. It is nothing but the assassination of democracy in broad daylight. We must oppose and fight back to save the Constitution and democracy in India,” he said.
Calling for collective resistance, he urged civil society organisations, students, youth and progressive groups to mobilise people against what he described as a threat to democratic rights.
Published – March 02, 2026 09:28 am IST
