India slams US lawmaker's SIR remarks as 'unwarranted, uninformed'

India on Friday strongly rejected US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal's remarks on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing them as "unwarranted and uninformed" and accusing her of interfering in the electoral affairs of a fellow democracy.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the comments by the Indian-American Democratic lawmaker amounted to interference in India's internal democratic processes and undermined the principles of democracy.

Responding to a question during his bi-weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi firmly disagreed with Jayapal's allegations concerning the removal of voters from electoral rolls.

"We find the remarks of the Congresswoman unwarranted and uninformed and tantamount to interfering in the electoral practices of a fellow democracy. This is an approach that undermines democracy itself," Jaiswal said.

The sharp response came after Jayapal, who represents Washington state in the US House of Representatives, expressed concern over reports that millions of voters were being removed from India's electoral rolls during the Election Commission's ongoing revision exercise.

𝗨𝗦 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Jayapal had alleged that the Indian government was attempting to remove 130 million people, or 13 crore voters, from electoral rolls.

"I am deeply concerned about the actions of the Indian government to purge 130 million people from the voting rolls," she wrote on X.

The Democratic lawmaker also drew a comparison between the developments in India and the policies of US President Donald Trump's administration, accusing both of undermining voting rights.

She expressed support for non-violent protests in India against what she described as anti-democratic measures and maintained that protecting the integrity of elections was essential for democratic societies.

Her remarks came amid widespread political protests in India over the SIR exercise, with Opposition parties alleging that the revision process could result in the exclusion of eligible voters.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that the exercise is intended to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls by identifying deceased voters, duplicate entries, people who have shifted residence and other ineligible registrations.

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗼𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

A day before the MEA's response, India's Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, had also strongly criticised Jayapal's comments, describing them as unacceptable interference in India's domestic affairs.

"The remarks by Rep. Jayapal on India's electoral and political processes are unacceptable interference in India's internal affairs," Kwatra wrote on X on Thursday.

The ambassador defended India's democratic institutions and its electoral record, asserting that the country possessed independent constitutional mechanisms to conduct elections.

"India is a vibrant democracy, with robust, independent constitutional institutions and a longstanding record of free and fair elections," he said.

Kwatra also indicated that he was willing to engage with the Congresswoman to address what he described as her misconceptions about India's electoral processes.

The ambassador's intervention was followed by the MEA's formal rejection on Friday, signalling New Delhi's objection to comments by foreign political representatives on the ongoing electoral revision.

𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲

The controversy centres on the nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls being undertaken by the Election Commission in multiple phases.

The exercise has generated political opposition over the scale of voter exclusions and the procedures used to verify eligibility.

According to Election Commission figures cited in reports, approximately 7.2 crore names were removed from draft rolls during the first two phases covering 13 states and Union Territories, while another 6.16 crore deletions were recorded in draft lists during the third phase covering 18 states and Union Territories.

However, the commission has rejected the characterisation of these figures as proof of a deliberate voter purge, maintaining that the revision is aimed at identifying ineligible or outdated entries.

The poll panel has said lists of absent, shifted, deceased and duplicate voters were publicly displayed and shared with political parties.

It has also clarified that eligible citizens whose names were excluded could seek inclusion through the prescribed claims and objections process or submit Form 6 for enrolment.

The Opposition has questioned the scale of exclusions and raised concerns about their possible implications for electoral participation.

𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗹'𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶

Jayapal, who was born in Chennai and previously chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has raised concerns about Indian government policies on earlier occasions.

In 2019, she introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling for the lifting of communication restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir.

Her latest comments have brought renewed attention to disagreements between New Delhi and sections of the American political establishment over India's domestic political developments.

The Indian government's response has emphasised that questions concerning electoral rolls and election administration fall within the jurisdiction of India's constitutional institutions.

With the SIR exercise continuing and Opposition protests intensifying, the exchange has added an international dimension to the domestic debate over electoral accountability and the integrity of voter lists.