Delhi SIR: Kharge calls it 'Frankenstein Monster'; Congress says 'MODI at work'

Amid the ongoing row over 33.13 lakh notices issued in Delhi over "discrepancies" in details in enumeration forms, several Congress leaders have lashed out at the Election Commission’s (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, calling it a "Method of Disenfranchising Indians" and saying it has turned into a "Frankenstein monster".

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X (Formerly X) to criticise the exercise.

Also read: Delhi SIR: Advani, Sisodia, EC officials, top bureaucrats among 33 lakh flagged

Several leaders, bureaucrats and former EC members were issued notices over discrepancies between their voter details and the information in the last SIR of electoral rolls in 2002.

Congress alleges vote theft

In a detailed post on X, Kharge termed the SIR flawed and alleged that it is a tool used by the BJP for vote theft.

“The SIR is not just a tool used by the BJP for vote theft and dismantling democracy—it’s a flawed process that has turned into a Frankenstein Monster, now trapping its own people!! What started as the SIR from Bihar has now knocked on Delhi's door, and perhaps now the powers-that-be realise why the Congress has been calling the entire process flawed from day one,” Kharge said in his post in Hindi.

Ramesh said, "Actually, at work here is a Method Of Disenfranchising Indians." Ramesh posted the words "Method Of Disenfranchising Indians" with the first letters in capitals reading "MODI".

Ramesh responded to a post about the name of late economist Bibek Debroy appearing in the list of voters being issued notices over discrepancies.

Some of the prominent political leaders who were served notices were veteran BJP leader L K Advani, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, among others.

Congress questions SIR process

On what basis was their voting right stripped, Kharge asked. "On top of that, the Election Commission issued an official press release describing 'VIP/marked electors'. Is there now some Special Category of voters in India's Universal Adult Franchise -- VIP voters and ordinary voters? Isn't this a violation of the constitutional principle of 'One Person, One Vote, One Value'?" he said.

In the first three phases of SIR, 13.8 crore voters were struck off the rolls in 31 states/union territories, meaning about 14.61 per cent of the total 94.78 crore voters, he said.

Also read: Delhi SIR: Affluent seats see higher voter drop than seats with unauthorised colonies

"Who sits with hands folded, at whose behest? Press Release for VIPs, Silence for crores of ordinary voters!" Kharge said, in an apparent swipe at the Election Commission.

Their remarks came a day after the Congress flagged the issue of large-scale deletions during the ongoing SIR exercise and alleged that it is actually a massive "Shah-instigated removal" of voters and an "assault on the Constitution".

In Phase-1 and Phase-2, names of 7.8 crore voters were deleted, Ramesh said in his statement. The deletion rate as a proportion of the pre-SIR electoral roll works out to 13 per cent, he said.

Phase-3 commenced in 16 states and three UTs in mid-2026, the Congress leader said. He pointed out that in the ongoing Phase-3, according to the data on 12 states and two UTs, names of 6.18 crore voters out of a total of 36.06 crore have been deleted.

Some cases cleared

However, some names were cleared after verification.

Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu was identified for issuance of a notice due to a name discrepancy in the ongoing Delhi SIR, but following verification of documents, his name is set to appear in the final electoral roll, officials said on Sunday (September 20).

A resident of New Moti Bagh in Delhi, Sandhu is a voter in the Delhi Cantonment Assembly constituency. While he filled out the enumeration form as Dr S S Sandhu, his name in the voters' list is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, they said.

Also read: Delhi SIR: SC to hear plea against deletion of names from electoral rolls on Sept 21

"The electoral entry pertaining to Dr. S. S. Sandhu, Election Commissioner of India, has already been validated and kept in the list for inclusion in the Final Electoral Roll ... which is scheduled for official publication on November 4, as per the schedule issued by the Election Commission of India," a post said.

According to the officials, although Sandhu was identified to be served a notice, no notice was served on him. The local booth-level officer (BLO) and the area electoral registration officer looked into the documents to correct the mismatch.

Similarly, Chief Minister Gupta’s case was also cleared. Her notice was linked to an age-related discrepancy. Following verification of documents, her electoral entry was validated and her name has been parked for inclusion in the final list for Shalimar Bagh.