Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma Supports SIR, Says Election Commission Ensuring a Fair and Transparent Process

Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma on Tuesday defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying the Election Commission is carrying out the exercise in a transparent and impartial manner while allowing voters to respond to notices concerning gaps or discrepancies in their records. Speaking to reporters, Verma said the SIR exercise has faced repeated criticism from Opposition parties and various organisations. He argued that issuing notices to voters when information is incomplete or supporting documents require clarification is a routine part of the electoral roll revision process.

Verma said voters who receive notices are being given an opportunity to explain their position and submit the required information. He also pointed out that a petition challenging the SIR exercise has been filed in the Supreme Court and is scheduled for hearing. According to the minister, SIR notices have been sent to both ordinary residents and prominent individuals in Delhi. He said voters who believe their names or details have been incorrectly excluded have the opportunity to respond through the prescribed procedure.

Voters who have received notices can submit their replies to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) by September 30, Verma said. The responses will subsequently be examined until October 29, with the final electoral roll scheduled to be published on November 4. He added that the prescribed mechanism would continue to remain available even after publication of the final roll for people who believe their names have been left out.

Verma also criticised Opposition parties and their leaders over their objections to the SIR process. Referring to AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Saurabh Bharadwaj, along with the Congress and organisations associated with them, he urged political groups not to create doubts among voters about the Election Commission.

The minister said public confidence in the electoral authority should not be undermined and maintained that the Commission was following established procedures while carrying out the revision exercise. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi clarified that receiving an SIR notice does not automatically mean that an elector’s name will be removed from the voter list.

The CEO said that no voter’s name can be deleted without providing the concerned elector an opportunity to present their case. A proper order must also be passed as part of the prescribed process, with the decision subject to appeal. The clarification came after reports on social media and in the media about SIR notices being issued to prominent individuals and other electors in Delhi.

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