Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Vijay Kumar Vasanth on Monday moved an adjournment motion in Parliament, seeking an urgent debate on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across the country.
Calling the revision exercise “unplanned and one-sided,” the MPs alleged that excessive pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) has led to cases of exhaustion and even deaths.
Earlier in the day, Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore highlighted repeated BLO suicides, accusing the Election Commission of “vote chori” under the guise of SIR.
“We want Parliament to function and discussions to take place. We want a debate on SIR, which is an attack on democracy—on ‘vote chori’—where the Election Commission has itself become an agent. BLOs are dying; suicides are happening in the 12 states where SIR is underway,
Kanyakumari MP Vijay Kumar Vasanth also submitted an adjournment motion, claiming the exercise lacked consultation and support, forcing BLOs into extreme stress.
He criticised the Election Commission for failing to investigate BLO deaths or share data, calling it institutional cruelty. He further said the repeated verification process has created public confusion, making the SIR “anti-people and anti-democratic.”
The MPs demanded that the SIR be suspended, BLO deaths investigated, families compensated, election procedures reformed, and the Election Commission summoned to explain its actions.
The second phase of the SIR covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, following the first phase completed in Bihar. The final voter list is scheduled for publication on February 14, 2026.
Meanwhile, the 6th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha begin today at 11 am, marking the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, which will continue until December 19. (Agencies)
