NEW DELHI, Oct. 23 — India’s voter-roll review prompted a New Delhi protest on Oct. 23, where student, farmer and civil society groups demanded a halt, warning eligible voters could be left off revised lists.
A group named Delhi Coordination Committee of People Against SIR organized the march, which began near Gole Dak Khanna and proceeded toward the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters. Organizers also called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
Police stopped the march. Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that officers detained more than 100 protesters in a report carried by Business Standard. Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat told PTI, “Our struggle will continue until CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigns.”
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has covered voter lists in multiple states and territories. The ECI says it removes registrations it considers invalid, including duplicate entries, records for people who have died or permanently moved, and cases in which officials could not find a voter after several visits. Voters can seek inclusion through claims and appeals.
Citing Election Commission data, The Indian Express reported that 133.7 million names had been removed from draft rolls across 30 states and union territories by Sept. 1, 2026. That total was 14.1% of pre-revision rolls. Because it counts removals from draft lists, it does not establish how many eligible people were absent from final rolls.
The Indian Express also reported that notes and letters it reviewed documented at least 14 objections from Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi between October 2025 and August 2026. The outlet said the two commissioners objected to decisions or procedures they said they had not been informed about. The ECI said in a Sept. 26 statement that the Commission approved its June 24, 2025, national SIR order unanimously.
Delhi voters have until Oct. 30 to submit claims and objections. The ECI set Nov. 30 as the deadline for officials to dispose of claims and notices.
