Rijiju challenges Congress over SIR opposition, questions attacks on EC

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday questioned the Congress over its repeated criticism of the Election Commission and opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asking the party to explain its electoral defeats under different poll panels.

In a post on X, Rijiju put forward five questions for the opposition party, arguing that its allegations against the poll body and objections to the voter-list revision exercise were contradictory. He also accused the Congress of attempting to undermine the Constitution and democracy.

One of his questions referred to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress won just 44 seats. Rijiju pointed out that the Election Commissioners at the time had been appointed by a Congress-led government.

"How did Congress get only 44 MPs in 2014 Lok Sabha election when Election Commissioners were appointed by their Govt?" he asked.

Rijiju questions Congress' election record

The minister also cited the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, asking how the Congress suffered its third consecutive defeat when Gyanesh Kumar was not heading the Election Commission at the time.

Kumar was serving as an Election Commissioner during the general elections, having taken charge on March 15, 2024. He became the Chief Election Commissioner on February 19, 2025.

Rijiju further asked whether Congress chief ministers currently in office would resign and apologise for forming governments after elections held between 2014 and 2026.

Minister defends SIR exercise

Defending the SIR process, Rijiju said electoral rolls should be cleared of entries belonging to illegal immigrants, deceased voters, people who had shifted residence and duplicate registrations. He questioned whether the Congress opposed removing such names.

He also referred to earlier intensive revision exercises conducted between 1952 and 2004, asking whether those exercises were illegal.

"One family party with outside forces is trying to destroy the Constitution & Indian Democracy," the minister alleged.

Election Commission's affidavit in Supreme Court

Rijiju's remarks come amid a political and legal dispute over the SIR exercise and allegations about the functioning of the Election Commission.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on October 26, the poll panel rejected claims of unilateral decision-making by the Chief Election Commissioner. It maintained that decisions concerning the SIR exercise had been approved unanimously by all 3 members of the Commission.