‘10 cr Indians could lose right to vote’: Chidambaram after ex-envoy’s SIR post
Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram has raised concerns that the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision process could disenfranchise nearly 10 crore citizens. The criticism follows reports from a former diplomat who faced significant bureaucratic hurdles in verifying his citizenship status.
Why it matters
The potential exclusion of a large segment of the population from electoral rolls raises significant questions about democratic participation and administrative transparency in India.
NEW DELHI: Former Union minister P Chidambaram on Monday said the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls could leave 10% of India’s eligible population — or nearly 10 crore people — without the right to vote, after a former diplomat detailed difficulties he faced establishing his citizenship during the exercise in Punjab.Navdeep Suri, who served as India’s Ambassador to Egypt and the UAE and High Commissioner to Australia, questioned what the experience of a common citizen might be if he himself faced difficulties despite having represented the country in three nations.“Based on the outcomes so far, at the end of the S.I.R. process, 10% of India’s adult population will be ‘citizens’ but without the right to vote, thanks to the ECI. That is nearly 10 crore people.
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