‘Electoral Dictatorship’: Rights Groups Condemn Modi Govt, Launch Mass Agitation Against ‘Unconstitutional SIR’ Voter Roll Revision

Activists Decry ‘Electoral Dictatorship,’ Condemn Modi Government Over Special Intensive Revision of Rolls

Bengaluru, December 14 — Civil rights groups ‘Eddelu Karnataka’ and ‘My Vote My Right’ have escalated their fight against the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asserting that the move is an unconstitutional attempt by the Modi-led NDA/BJP government to manipulate democracy and disenfranchise marginalized voters.

The strong condemnation came during a serious consultative meeting in Bengaluru, titled ‘Against the threat of SIR,’ where activists, intellectuals, and concerned citizens converged to chart a course for a mass movement to resist what they describe as a conspiracy against the very foundations of India’s electoral process.

ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಜನವಿರೋಧಿ ಷಡ್ಯಂತ್ರ: ಮತದಾರರ ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಅಕ್ರಮದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ‘ಎದ್ದೇಳು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ’, ‘ಮೈ ವೋಟ್ ಮೈ ರೈಟ್’ ಹೋರಾಟ

The Core Allegation: Undermining Democracy

Presiding over the meeting, Eddelu Karnataka’s convenor, Noor Sridhar, launched a sharp critique of the current political climate, claiming that India’s democracy has deteriorated into an “electoral dictatorship.” He argued that a “deadly force” has gradually captured central power and all democratic institutions since 2014, with the latest target being the electoral system itself.

Sridhar expressed profound concern over the apparent bias of the Election Commission, stating, “The Election Commission is not neutral but rather an extended tool of the BJP, acting as a biased umpire in the electoral process.” He also raised alarm about the potential for Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) manipulation, emphasizing that such control becomes unmanageable if the ECI is partisan.

The primary focus of the resistance remains the SIR process, which activists allege is a systematic effort to tamper with the voter list—the “lifeline of any democracy.” Sridhar urged the public to take decisive action, rather than relying on political parties. “People should take initiative in the current situation and not wait for political parties… A significant campaign is being launched to address the situation.”

Targeting Opposition Voters: SIR as Disenfranchisement Tool

Adding to the alarm, Tara Rao of ‘My Vote My Right’ and a functionary of Eddelu Karnataka, characterized the SIR as a deliberate political strategy aimed at eliminating voters who do not support the ruling party. She connected the current electoral revision to previous contentious moves like the CAA-NRC-NPR, suggesting a pattern of disenfranchisement.

“SIR is a deliberate strategy to eliminate voters who do not support a specific political party,” Rao asserted, pointing to data from states like Bihar, Maharashtra, and Haryana that allegedly demonstrate how votes are being “added and deleted,” indicating a “complete adjustment program.” She argued that the 68 lakh voter deletions reported in Bihar following the SIR process are a chilling precursor for other critical states, including Karnataka, which the ruling party views as the “gateway of South India” for retaining power.

Rao also voiced the collective disappointment in the judiciary, noting, “The Supreme Court failed to declare SIR unconstitutional, which was expected by the people, as it unconstitutionally clubs voter rights with citizenship rights.” She criticized the ECI for legislating guidelines that have shifted the burden of proof for citizenship onto the citizens themselves, turning them into “victims.”

A ‘Conspiracy and Plot’ Against Pluralistic India

K. L. Ashok, a senior activist, framed the SIR, along with the previous attempts at CAA, NRC, and NPR, as a “significant conspiracy and plot against India’s democracy” led by the RSS and BJP.

Ashok firmly stated that the government is introducing SIR as a continuation of their earlier efforts to disenfranchise minorities, women, Dalits, and tribals. “Their goal is to bring about a dictatorship, which he characterizes as a great deception and fraud,” the statement detailed, adding, “Ashok asserts that such actions will not be tolerated in a pluralistic and harmonious India and will not last long.”

He highlighted a constitutional concern, asserting that while general voter revision is allowed, “there is no provision for ‘special voter revision’ in the Indian Constitution.” Ashok predicted a large public uprising against the government’s actions, emphasizing the ultimate triumph of truth. “Long-term deception and the propagation of lies cannot keep the nation in a state of delusion indefinitely.”

The meeting, which included key functionaries like Tara Rao, Srimane Nagraj, V. S. Shekhar, G. M. Veerasangayya, and Mohammad Kunni, concluded with a resolve to launch a massive, united campaign to resist the SIR process, signaling that the struggle for electoral integrity will now intensify on the streets.

Key Quotes

• Noor Sridhar: “India’s democracy has reached a dead end, with a deadly force gradually developing… The Election Commission is not neutral but rather an extended tool of the BJP, acting as a biased umpire in the electoral process.”

• Tara Rao: “SIR is a deliberate strategy to eliminate voters who do not support a specific political party. The Supreme Court failed to declare SIR unconstitutional, which was expected by the people, as it unconstitutionally clubs voter rights with citizenship rights.”

• K. L. Ashok: “The actions of RSS and BJP are a significant conspiracy and plot against India’s democracy… The government is now introducing SIR as a continuation of their previous efforts, viewing it as a move to undermine democracy.”

• Noor Sridhar: “People should take initiative in the current situation and not wait for political parties. A significant campaign is being launched to address the situation.”