‘If LK Advani’s name is missing, whose name could be there?’: Akhil Gogoi on SIR

Raijor Dal president and MLA Akhil Gogoi on September 21 alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had become a tool for the BJP government to influence elections and target political opponents.

Speaking in Guwahati, Gogoi claimed that the exercise had led to the deletion of names of a large number of voters in Assam.

“The SIR has actually become the BJP government's biggest weapon to topple governments and help the BJP win,” Gogoi said.

Referring to the exercise in West Bengal, he alleged that the process was used to target West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Gogoi also claimed that the SIR process had exposed “systemic difficulties and errors”, and said the exercise could affect people across political affiliations.

Referring to reports concerning electoral-roll verification in Delhi, Gogoi cited BJP leaders L K Advani and Rekha Gupta while questioning the reliability of the process.

“If the name of our country's former Home Minister, L.K. Advani, is missing, then whose name could be there? If a state's Chief Minister's name is missing, then whose would it be?” he said.

Gogoi's remarks come amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in several states and Union Territories, with political parties raising concerns over the process and its impact on voters.

The Election Commission has maintained that the revision is aimed at ensuring the accuracy of electoral rolls and providing eligible voters an opportunity to submit claims and objections.