Former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar warns that BJP may replicate Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in other states if it proves electorally beneficial. The move, already under national implementation by ECI, has drawn concern over voter exclusion and political manipulation across India.
Former Tripura Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has issued a strong warning regarding the political implications of the BJP’s use of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. According to him, if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secures an electoral advantage in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections through the SIR process, they are likely to replicate the model across other poll-bound states.
Addressing a party meeting, Sarkar claimed that the BJP and its allies, including the Janata Dal (United), are concerned about the electoral challenges they may face in Bihar’s assembly elections, which are anticipated to be held in November. “That is why the BJP, with the support of the Election Commission, carried out the SIR to influence the outcome,” he alleged.
The SIR is a procedure involving a detailed revision of the electoral rolls, ostensibly to eliminate errors and identify illegal entries. However, Sarkar raised serious concerns about its execution and potential misuse. He alleged that during the recent SIR exercise in Bihar, names of around 50 to 52 lakh voters—predominantly Muslims and Dalits—were removed from the voter rolls.
He warned that such practices, if proven electorally beneficial for the BJP, may be extended to states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, all of which are expected to go to polls in the coming years.
Manik Sarkar, who served as Tripura’s Chief Minister from 1998 to 2018, further accused the BJP of undermining democratic institutions and manipulating constitutional provisions to stay in power. He stated that the ruling party was following the ideological playbook of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to alter the fundamental character of Indian democracy.
The controversy surrounding the SIR gained additional traction when the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) met with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to demand a similar revision process in Tripura. A nine-member delegation, led by TMP supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, met with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other officials to press for an SIR coupled with a door-to-door verification drive.
Speaking to the media in New Delhi after the meeting, Debbarma emphasized the need for identifying and eliminating illegal voters from the electoral rolls to safeguard the future of the indigenous population and the region’s demography. He revealed that the ECI had assured the TMP that the SIR would be implemented nationwide, including in Tripura.
“We face a serious threat due to illegal migration, and the presence of unverified voters dilutes the rights of genuine citizens,” Debbarma said. “This is not just a political issue; it’s about protecting the future of our people.”
The TMP also submitted a formal letter to the ECI, demanding a thorough door-to-door verification process during the SIR in Tripura, mirroring the model adopted in Bihar. The move reflects growing concerns among regional parties about demographic shifts and the transparency of the electoral process.
The ECI has not issued an official statement yet on the nationwide SIR implementation, but its assurance to the TMP has already stirred political discourse in the northeast and beyond.
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With tensions mounting and the Bihar elections approaching, opposition leaders like Sarkar remain wary of how such administrative exercises can be used to tilt the electoral playing field. The debate over the SIR is poised to become a significant issue in the months ahead as political parties begin preparing for a crucial election cycle across several states.
