Scientists petition to scrap SIR ‘disenfranchisement exercise’

A collective of independent scientists has petitioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the government to scrap the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. They have also demanded the immediate restoration of all eligible voters wrongly excluded.

The open letter, as of Friday (October 23, 2026), is signed by scores of researchers and academics from institutions including the Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, and the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru.  The signatories say they have endorsed the statement in their individual capacities, and that their views are personal and do not represent their institutions.

About 130 million names have been removed under the revision, which has sparked mass protests across the country along with demands by Opposition parties and youth groups to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. After weeks of protests, the Election Commission has ordered fresh verification in some states, including Delhi.

Read the text of the letter here

The scientists’ objections are on the grounds that eligible voters, especially the poor, migrant workers and marginalised communities, are being deleted arbitrarily or without justification and how affected citizens face cumbersome procedures. They remark that there are inadequate safeguards for restoring names to the rolls and that citizens are denied a meaningful opportunity to establish their eligibility. They underline that the periodic revision of rolls lacks transparency and accountability. The letter draws a parallel with the legal presumption of innocence, arguing that no genuine revision can strip citizens of their vote through such procedures.

“The right to vote is a fundamental pillar of democracy,” the signatories state, adding that “democracy cannot survive when citizens are denied their voice.” They call on the ECI and the government to uphold constitutional principles. They also urge “all democratic-minded forces and individuals” to join in defending the right to vote.