Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the EC for “raising a bogey of foreigners” without backing it with concrete figures. He questioned why, despite repeated demands, the commission has not revealed definitive data on removals purportedly targeting non-citizens.
The EC’s silence on the matter has become a political flashpoint ahead of the Bihar elections scheduled in November. The SIR, launched by the commission to clean up voter lists, has triggered fierce opposition claims that it is being used as a tool of political exclusion. The Congress view is that while the EC frames the exercise in terms of electoral integrity, the absence of transparency raises suspicion of selective targeting.
Official statements from the commission acknowledge that the deletion list includes people declared dead, those who have permanently shifted, and foreigners. The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, said the “deleted electors list includes foreigners, besides dead and shifted persons,” but declined to quantify how many non-citizens were removed, terming the list “purified.” He stated that district collectors have shared information with recognised political parties and that objections will be entertained up to ten days before nominations—though he did not break down the removed-foreigner count. The CEC also emphasised that while Aadhaar will be accepted as identity proof in future SIRs, it cannot by itself establish eligibility.
Opposition leaders interpret the omission of precise numbers as deliberate obfuscation. Jairam Ramesh accused the EC of acting as a “B-team of BJP,” alleging highhandedness in manipulating voter lists to favour the ruling alliance. The accusation gained traction when the Congress-led “Voter Adhikar Yatra” took up this issue as a central plank, claiming that many legitimate voters—particularly from marginalised communities—have been disenfranchised under the guise of deletion.
The controversy is grounded in actual data. Approximately 3.66 lakh names were purged from the electoral rolls during the SIR process in Bihar, and media reports indicate that about 6,000 of those were classified as non-citizens—but the EC has not confirmed that figure officially. Critics argue that such a number is too small to justify the sweeping narrative of foreign infiltration used in election campaigning.
The SIR exercise itself is under legal scrutiny. The Supreme Court, in a pending public interest litigation filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and others, directed the commission to publish the reasons for deletion of names and to make the draft list of excluded voters accessible. The petitioners claim that the SIR imposes unequal burdens on marginalised citizens, disproportionately affecting those without access to mandatory documents. The EC contested some of those demands, citing the need for verification, and maintains that the process is lawful under the Representation of the People Act.
In defending its actions, the EC insists that it is taking steps to ensure no legitimate voter is excluded without notice or due process. It has highlighted safeguards such as booth-level verifications, political party representation in scrutiny, and opportunities for objection and appeal. The commission has also affirmed that no removal will occur without a reasoned order and that remedial measures are in place for those wrongly omitted.