Congress High Command: SIR Takes Centre Stage

The Congress high command has stepped up its discussion on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, holding an urgent Zoom meeting under the leadership of party general secretary KC Venugopal. Congress state presidents and in-charges from across the country participated in the meeting, with the focus on concerns raised by the party over the electoral-roll revision exercise.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud explained the party’s concerns regarding the SIR process in Telangana. According to the Congress, the exercise has resulted in the deletion of votes belonging to sections perceived by the party as supportive of Congress, including minority voters. These are claims made by the party and should be distinguished from independently verified findings. The Election Commission has maintained that SIR-related decisions were taken unanimously.

The meeting assumes significance as the Congress has planned a Congress Working Committee meeting on September 29 to discuss the controversy surrounding the Election Commission and formulate its future course of action. Reports indicate that the party may deliberate on further political and organisational measures at the CWC meeting.

The issue has already become a broader national political debate. Congress has questioned the functioning of the Election Commission following reports that two Election Commissioners had raised repeated concerns relating to SIR-related decisions. The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion of a split in decision-making and said its decisions, including those concerning SIR, were unanimous.

For Telangana Congress, the immediate focus is therefore on documenting its concerns about the voter-roll revision process and taking them to the party’s national leadership. The September 29 CWC meeting is expected to provide the next indication of how the Congress intends to proceed on the issue.