SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Monday said it would make strong efforts to stop the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Union Territory, which is likely to be undertaken after the winter season.
J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra criticised the proposed exercise at the start of the month-long Budget session of the J&K Assembly in Jammu. “SIR is a novel method of pre poll rigging adopted by these people,” Karra told reporters in the Assembly complex.
Karra said the Congress party would strongly oppose the implementation of the SIR in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Special Intensive Revision is a comprehensive exercise aimed at updating, verifying and correcting electoral rolls through a time-bound, door-to-door verification process. According to officials, the exercise seeks to ensure that voter lists are accurate and free of errors such as duplicate entries, names of deceased persons, ineligible voters and illegal foreign migrants, while ensuring the inclusion of all eligible citizens aged 18 and above.
Election officials said conducting such a large-scale field exercise during winter is not feasible in Jammu and Kashmir due to harsh weather conditions. They said April–May is the most likely window for undertaking the revision after winter ends.
Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Jammu, Gurpinder Singh, said the SIR would begin in J&K only after the Election Commission of India announces the schedule. On speculation that the exercise could start in May or June, he said, “There is speculation but the announcement has to be made by the ECI.” He added that the Commission would also specify the timelines for completion of the exercise.
The proposed revision has gained political significance in Jammu and Kashmir amid concerns raised by some parties that nationals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar have allegedly managed to get their names included in electoral rolls, particularly in the Jammu region.
In 2021, the State Election Commission cancelled elections to two District Development Council seats in north Kashmir after the winning candidates were found to be residents of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who had registered as voters. Re-polls were later held for both seats.
It remains to be seen whether the Election Commission goes ahead with the SIR in Jammu and Kashmir before conducting the long-pending grassroots elections. Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections have been due since October–November 2023, while the term of the District Development Councils is set to expire on February 24 this year.