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Rajasthan Congress alleges irregularities in SIR, flags mass deletion of voter names

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra alleged that BJP’s Rajasthan in-charge B L Santosh held closed-door organisational meetings and issued instructions to party leaders on how to proceed with the SIR

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress FlagsRajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra alleged that BJP leaders fixed targets to add 50 names per booth, even if they were duplicate entries, while simultaneously deleting names linked to the Congress vote bank. (File Photo)

The Rajasthan Congress Thursday alleged large-scale irregularities in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, accusing the ruling BJP of orchestrating a coordinated effort to manipulate voter lists by deleting thousands of voters.

At a press conference at the State Congress headquarters in Jaipur, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully accused the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of submitting thousands of bulk, pre-printed applications overnight, calling a “direct attack on democracy and the fundamental right to vote”.

The remarks come at a time when officials hold hearings under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise before the final rolls are published in February.

“Nearly three years remaining for the next Rajasthan Assembly elections, a SIR of the voter list is already underway despite there being no mandatory requirement for it,” Dotasra said. “This process has already delayed elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, and even after this exercise, polls will be conducted using an inaccurate and ‘fraudulent’ voter list.”

Dotasra said the Congress party “cooperated fully with the Election Commission throughout the SIR process,” but alleged that on the final day for filing objections the BJP initiated a “coordinated and illegal exercise” to manipulate the voter list.

He alleged that BJP’s Rajasthan in-charge B L Santosh held closed-door organisational meetings and issued instructions to party leaders on how to proceed with the SIR.

“Soon after, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a four-hour meeting with BJP leaders in the state, allegedly giving further directions related to the voter revision process,” he said. “The data was then hurriedly distributed on pen drives from the Chief Minister’s Office to BJP leaders for each Assembly constituency.”

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Using this, Dotasra alleged, the BJP began submitting thousands of pre-printed forms in bulk across constituencies for deletion of names, “many of them carrying forged or mismatched signatures and lacking signatures of BLAs altogether”.

These forms, he claimed, were prepared by a centralised agency in violation of prescribed rules and submitted a day before the draft voter list was to be published, with the intent of removing names of Congress voters.

He pointed out that election rules allow a BLA to submit only 50 applications per day for deletion of names and only 10 applications after draft publication. However, according to data uploaded by the Chief Electoral Officer till January 14, 2026, around 973 BJP BLAs sought the addition of 211 names and deletion of 5,694 names, while 110 Congress BLAs sought the addition of 185 names and deletion of just two names.

“On the evening of January 13, BJP leaders distributed pen drives to MLAs and ministers containing deletion applications for constituencies where the Congress had narrow victories, where it has a strong vote base among Dalit, tribal and minority communities, or where the BJP itself won by slim margins,” he alleged. “In several Assembly constituencies, between 2,000 and 4,000 pre-printed forms were allegedly submitted on a single day by one person.”

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He further claimed that the BJP’s central leadership engaged private companies to collect data on Congress supporters, critics of BJP policies, participants in movements such as protests to save the Aravalli range, Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra associates and employee organisations, and that applications were then filed to remove these individuals from the voter list.

“Pressure was being exerted on Booth Level Officers and other officials to accept these forms despite clear violations of Form-7 requirements, including unsigned undertakings,” he said.

Dotasra alleged that BJP leaders fixed targets to add 50 names per booth, even if they were duplicate entries, while simultaneously deleting names linked to the Congress vote bank.

Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions. Expertise and Experience Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public. Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas: Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight. Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women. Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use. Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More

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