INDIA BLOC SEEKS RETURN TO PAPER BALLOTS AND PRE-SIR VOTER ROLLS, ESCALATING ELECTION COMMISSION DISPUTE

October 1, 2026

The INDIA bloc has announced a coordinated campaign demanding sweeping changes to India’s electoral process, including the restoration of pre-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter rolls, a return to paper ballots and greater accountability from the Election Commission of India.

The demands were outlined at a meeting of opposition leaders in New Delhi, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by senior figures, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The parties expressed concern over the ongoing SIR exercise and what they described as inadequate transparency in the revision of electoral rolls.

The opposition has called for the use of electoral rolls prepared before the SIR process in upcoming elections, arguing that eligible voters must not be excluded through discrepancies or procedural difficulties. It has also demanded a transparent mechanism for notifying voters whose names are under scrutiny, along with an effective appeals process to address wrongful exclusions.

Another major demand is the replacement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) with paper ballots. Opposition leaders have questioned the transparency and public confidence associated with the existing voting system and called for a return to conventional ballot-based elections. The Election Commission, however, maintains that EVMs are subject to established safeguards and verification procedures.

The bloc has also renewed its demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging shortcomings in the handling of electoral-roll revisions and the functioning of the poll panel. These allegations remain contested, with the Election Commission maintaining that its decisions comply with electoral laws and established procedures.

The alliance has proposed a series of nationwide protests and political outreach initiatives to highlight its concerns, including a planned march by opposition MPs to the Election Commission on October 6. Leaders have also called for broader public participation and engagement with civil society organisations.

The campaign centres on the principle of “one person, one vote, one value”, with the opposition arguing that electoral procedures must protect equal voting rights and ensure that every eligible citizen can participate. The dispute is expected to continue through political mobilisation, parliamentary action and pending judicial proceedings concerning the SIR process and the Election Commission’s functioning.