The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently underway in Chhattisgarh has sparked significant concerns and criticism from the state’s Congress leadership, as well as voices from tribal and civil rights groups. The SIR, a process conducted by the Election Commission of India (EC), aims to update and revise the voter lists to ensure accuracy ahead of upcoming elections. However, the manner in which this exercise is being implemented, particularly under its second phase in Chhattisgarh and eleven other States and Union Territories, has raised questions about its fairness, transparency, and inclusiveness.
The Special Intensive Revision is a nationwide effort to update electoral rolls by identifying eligible voters who have not yet been registered and by removing names of those who are no longer eligible. The first phase of this exercise was conducted earlier in the year in Bihar and faced sharp criticism from opposition parties. Now, in its second phase, Chhattisgarh is among the 12 States and Union Territories where enumeration forms are being distributed to collect voter information. The Congress party in Chhattisgarh has voiced deep apprehensions about the short deadline for document submission and verification, which they argue is inadequate given local circumstances.
At a press conference held in Raipur on November 10, 2025, senior Congress leaders stressed the need for transparency and fairness in the revision process. Mohan Markam, former minister and convener of the Congress SIR Monitoring Committee in Chhattisgarh, highlighted the fundamental purpose of the SIR. He stated that the revision should be aimed at adding eligible voters to the rolls rather than deleting names, and that it must remain the sole responsibility of the Election Commission without interference from the ruling government or its political interests. Markam expressed concern over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) speaking on behalf of the Election Commission, questioning the legitimacy of the ruling party’s responses to issues raised about the revision process.
Markam’s remarks reflect broader worries about potential attempts to manipulate electoral rolls for political gain. He warned against the use of “filters” or criteria that might be selectively applied to remove voters in a manner that favors the ruling party. According to him, any problems or queries arising during the SIR should be addressed solely by the Election Commission, emphasizing the need to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
Adding to these concerns, former State Congress president and co-convenor of the SIR committee, Dhanendra Sahu, pointed out that the current timing of the revision exercise coincides with the paddy harvesting season in Chhattisgarh. This agricultural activity demands considerable time and attention from the state’s predominantly rural population, many of whom are farmers. After harvesting, they must also sell their produce at local farmers’ societies, further limiting their availability to participate in the voter verification process. Sahu argued that the existing one-month deadline for document submission and verification is insufficient under these conditions and recommended extending the deadline to three months to ensure no eligible voter is left out.
The call for extension is rooted in the practical realities of rural life in Chhattisgarh, where farming cycles and market activities play a crucial role in people’s daily routines. This perspective underscores the importance of accommodating local socio-economic factors when implementing nationwide electoral exercises.
Beyond the Congress party, opposition voices have emerged from tribal and remote regions of the State as well. Manish Kunjam, former Member of the Legislative Assembly and convenor of the Bastariya Raj Morcha, condemned the SIR process as “disastrous” and warned that it could disenfranchise thousands of voters in interior Bastar districts such as Gollapally, Kistaram, and Maad in Konta. Kunjam highlighted the administrative and governance challenges faced by these remote areas, where basic government services and documentation often remain inaccessible to the local population.
He noted that many residents in these tribal-dominated regions possess only forest rights pattas—legal land titles issued under the Forest Rights Act—and frequently lack other standard identity or address documents required for voter registration. Without these documents, villagers risk exclusion from the electoral rolls. Kunjam’s critique points to a systemic issue where marginalized communities, especially forest dwellers and displaced groups, are vulnerable to being left out of the democratic process due to bureaucratic and infrastructural hurdles.
Supporting these concerns, the People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) issued a statement drawing attention to the precarious situation of tribal populations and other marginalized groups in Chhattisgarh