DK Shivakumar Says No Objection to SIR, But Warns Against Its Use for Political Ends; Backs Voting Rights for Every Eligible Citizen
Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said there was no objection to carrying out the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but argued that the exercise should not be used for political purposes and that every eligible citizen must be assured the right to vote.
Responding to questions from reporters near Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the issue was not the revision of electoral rolls itself but the manner in which the exercise was being implemented.
“We have no objection to conducting the Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ list. But it is not right to use SIR for political purposes,” Shivakumar said.
His remarks come amid an intensifying political dispute over the Election Commission’s SIR exercise and questions raised about decision-making within the poll body.
‘Every Eligible Citizen Must Get the Right to Vote’
Responding to a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s statements concerning the Election Commission, Shivakumar said the fundamental concern should be protecting the franchise of eligible citizens.
“Everyone who is eligible should get the right to vote. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship,” he said.
Shivakumar also referred to reported differences within the three-member Election Commission and argued that there was dissatisfaction over the situation.
Recent reporting has documented formal objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over a number of electoral-roll-related decisions. Under Section 18 of the 2023 law governing the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, Commission business should, as far as possible, be transacted unanimously, and where members differ, the matter is to be decided according to the majority opinion.
The Election Commission, however, has disputed the broader characterisation of its functioning. It has said differing observations are a normal part of institutional deliberation and maintained that its final decisions over the past year were unanimous decisions of the full Commission.
Shivakumar Refers to Questions Raised by Rahul Gandhi
Shivakumar said Rahul Gandhi had raised several questions over the SIR process.
He also said the Congress had held Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible in the political controversy surrounding the issue.
Rahul Gandhi on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while raising questions over the functioning of the Election Commission and the electoral process.
Shivakumar said it was natural for Opposition parties to seek the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation in the circumstances.
The BJP has rejected the Congress’s allegations. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the SIR process as legally sound and said Election Commission decisions were based on majority consensus.
SIR Row Intensifies in Karnataka
The SIR exercise has already become a major political issue in Karnataka.
Shivakumar has separately sought changes to the ongoing process, including more time for voters to seek corrections or inclusion and a fresh revision aimed at ensuring genuine eligible voters are not excluded.
His latest remarks draw a distinction between the principle of revising electoral rolls and allegations over the political use of that process: the Chief Minister said he does not oppose SIR itself, but insists that it must not deprive eligible citizens of their voting rights or be deployed for political objectives.
“Everyone who is eligible should get the right to vote,” Shivakumar said, reiterating that the electoral process must operate within a democratic framework.
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