Priyanka Gandhi says voter deletions violate Constitutional principles, Congress to continue protest
New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday stepped up her criticism of the deletion of names from electoral rolls, alleging that such exclusions were contrary to the principles of the Constitution and the country's electoral process, and asserted that the Congress would continue its protests over what it described as manipulation of elections.
In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said the nature of the deletions was "very clear" and alleged that they ran counter to the principles underpinning the constitutional electoral framework. "It is very clear that these deletions are against everything our Constitution and our election process stand for," she said. Gandhi said the Congress was protesting against the deletions and claimed that the issue had increasingly become a matter of public concern.
"We are protesting against that. I think the public has now realised that elections have been manipulated, and we will continue our protest," she said. Her remarks came amid a continuing political confrontation between the Congress-led Opposition and the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being undertaken in several states and union Territories.
Opposition parties have alleged that large-scale deletion or exclusion of voters could result in eligible citizens being denied their right to vote, while the Election Commission has maintained that the revision exercise is aimed at ensuring the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls. The Congress has made the issue a major part of its campaign against the Election Commission, demanding the restoration of eligible voters whose names have been removed or left out of the rolls.
The party has also called for greater transparency in the revision exercise and questioned the procedures through which voters are identified for deletion or exclusion. The Election Commission, for its part, has maintained that eligible voters have opportunities to file claims and objections and that the prescribed process is being followed before the final publication of electoral rolls.
The poll panel has also emphasised the role of Booth Level Officers and other electoral officials in verifying voter details during the revision exercise. Gandhi's latest remarks add to sustained criticism by the Congress leadership of the electoral-roll revision process, with the Opposition linking the exercise to broader concerns over the conduct and transparency of elections.
The Congress has said it will continue to raise the issue both inside and outside Parliament, maintaining that safeguarding the right of every eligible citizen to participate in elections is fundamental to the functioning of a constitutional democracy. The Election Commission's revision and publication of electoral rolls in different states are therefore likely to remain a significant political and institutional issue in the weeks ahead.
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