Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has backed the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing the exercise as an important step towards strengthening India’s democratic system.
CM Yogi Adityanath Backs SIR
In a post on social media on Monday, Adityanath said India has remained a guardian of democratic values for centuries. He said the SIR exercise being conducted by the Election Commission of India would further strengthen the country’s democratic heritage.
DON'T MISS
Calls for Verification of Ineligible Names in Voter List
The Chief Minister stressed the need for verification of entries relating to deceased voters, people who have permanently shifted from their registered addresses and duplicate entries in electoral rolls. He said such entries should be verified according to the prescribed rules.
Adityanath also said that names of ineligible persons allegedly included in voter lists should be identified and removed in accordance with the applicable procedures. He described the removal of such entries as important for India’s security, unity and integrity.
At the same time, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister appealed to young people who have completed or are turning 18 to ensure that their names are included in the electoral roll.
He urged citizens to participate in the process of building what he described as a clean, strong and transparent voter list.
The remarks come amid an ongoing political dispute over the SIR exercise, with Opposition parties, student organisations and civil society groups raising concerns about the voter-roll revision and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that the revision process is being conducted according to established procedures.
The SIR process has remained a major political issue in several parts of the country, with supporters emphasising the need to verify electoral entries while critics have raised concerns about eligible voters being left out. The Election Commission has also directed special measures in states where the revision has been completed to identify eligible voters who may have been omitted from the rolls.
Adityanath’s comments add to the ongoing discussion over electoral-roll verification, while his appeal to newly eligible voters highlights the importance of ensuring that citizens who have attained the voting age are registered in the electoral process.
