Removal of names does not constitute theft': Sambit Patra says opposition spreading confusion about SIR

BJP spokesperson defends SIR, says the exercise verifies voters who are deceased, have shifted or have duplicate registrations; asks why opposition parties' booth-level agents are not scrutinising the rolls.

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, accusing the opposition of spreading confusion over the exercise and dismissing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegation that 13 crore votes had been "stolen".

Speaking to reporters in Varanasi, the Puri MP said the SIR was aimed at verifying and updating electoral rolls, and that the deletion of names of voters who were deceased, had permanently shifted or had duplicate registrations did not amount to theft.

Patra said similar revision exercises had been conducted in the past and that voters could get their names added to the rolls by submitting the prescribed form if they had changed their address.

He said Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) were conducting door-to-door verification and that political parties could appoint Booth-Level Agents (BLAs) to scrutinise the electoral rolls. Questioning why opposition parties' BLAs were not examining the lists, he said voters whose names were missing could have them restored by following the prescribed procedure.

Citing the SIR in West Bengal, Patra said Trinamool Congress candidates had won several Assembly constituencies despite a large number of names reportedly being deleted from the electoral rolls. He also pointed to the addition of young voters to the rolls to counter allegations that the exercise was depriving them of their voting rights.

Defending the Election Commission, Patra said the revision was being conducted in accordance with its established procedures. He argued that the opposition's electoral defeats were a result of its own political standing and not the revision of electoral rolls.

Patra also raised concerns about alleged infiltration in West Bengal and the inclusion of such individuals in the electoral rolls, asserting that only Indian citizens should have the right to vote.