ECI must immediately demonstrate it's not operating under BJP’s shadow: Congress

Upping the ante implicit its 'vote chori' pitch, the Congress connected Tuesday (November 18, 2025) said the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) behaviour during the SIR process has been "deeply disappointing" and demanded that the canvass assemblage indispensable instantly show that it is not operating nether the BJP’s shadow.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge besides alleged that the BJP is attempting to weaponise the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls process for "vote chori", arsenic helium chaired a gathering with cardinal bureau bearers of 12 States and Union territories wherever the SIR is underway.

Mr. Kharge, erstwhile enactment main Rahul Gandhi, and AICC wide caput organisation K.C. Venugopal participated successful a reappraisal gathering with State portion chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 States and Union territories wherever the SIR is underway.

"We held a broad strategy reappraisal with AICC wide secretaries, AICC in-charges, PCCs, CLPs, and AICC secretaries from the States/UTs wherever the SIR process is underway. The Congress Party is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral rolls," Mr. Kharge said connected X (formerly Twitter) aft helium chaired the meeting.

At a clip erstwhile nationalist assurance successful antiauthoritarian institutions is already strained, the Election Commission’s behaviour during the SIR process has been "deeply disappointing", helium said.

"It indispensable instantly show that it is not operating nether the BJP’s shadiness and it remembers its Constitutional oath and allegiance to the radical of India, not to immoderate ruling party," Mr. Kharge said.

"We firmly judge that the BJP is attempting to weaponise the SIR process for ballot chori. And if the ECI chooses to look the different way, that nonaccomplishment is not conscionable administrative — it becomes a complicity of silence," the Congress main said.

"Our workers, BLOs, and District/City/Block Presidents volition truthful stay relentlessly vigilant. We volition exposure each attempt, nevertheless subtle, to delete genuine voters oregon insert bogus ones," Mr. Kharge said.

The Congress volition not let antiauthoritarian safeguards to beryllium eroded by partisan misuse of institutions, helium asserted.

After facing a terrible drubbing successful Bihar, wherever the NDA cruised to triumph with 202 seats against the Mahagathbandhan's 35, the Congress has questioned the relation of the ECI successful the canvass process.

The ECI connected Monday (November 17, 2025) said much than 50 crore of the astir 51 crore electors successful the 9 States and 3 UTs person received enumeration forms nether the ongoing SIR of elector list.

In its regular SIR bulletin, the canvass authorization said 50.11 crore enumeration forms person been distributed successful the 12 States and UTs. In different words, 98.32% of the 50.99 crore electors person received the partially filled forms.

The States and UTs are: Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.

Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal volition spell to the polls successful 2026. In Assam, wherever elections are besides owed successful 2026, the ECI announced a 'special revision' of electoral rolls connected Monday (November 17).

Phase II of the SIR workout began connected November 4 with the enumeration signifier and volition proceed till December 4. Last week, Rahul Gandhi called the Bihar canvass results surprising, and claimed that the predetermination was not just from the precise beginning.

Mr. Gandhi besides said the Congress and the INDIA bloc would behaviour an in-depth reappraisal of the outcomes. The Congress besides claimed that the results, without a doubt, bespeak "vote chori connected a gigantic standard — masterminded by the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the ECI". Mr. Gandhi's canvass run against the BJP successful Bihar revolved astir his "vote chori"(vote theft) allegations.