New Delhi, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The INDIA bloc on Wednesday outlined six demands for electoral reforms, including a return to ballot paper voting, the use of pre-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral rolls in future elections and greater transparency in voter list revisions.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge presented the demands during a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders in New Delhi, where Opposition parties discussed a roadmap for nationwide protests against what they described as the Election Commission’s “flawed and partisan” approach.
Kharge said the alliance was united in defending the principle of “one person, one vote, one value”, which he claimed was facing a serious threat. He also called for the rollback of SIR, asserting that the right to vote belonged to the people.
The six demands include using electoral rolls prepared before SIR for future elections and ensuring complete transparency in revisions, with constituency-wise and booth-wise details of additions, deletions and corrections made publicly available.
The bloc has also called for clear reasoning and an effective appeal mechanism before any eligible voter is removed from the electoral rolls. It demanded safeguards against the exclusion of legitimate voters due to administrative lapses, inadequate documentation or lack of awareness.
The remaining demands are a return to ballot paper voting instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), simpler and more accessible voter registration for young citizens, particularly first-time voters, and greater institutional accountability to ensure that the Election Commission commands confidence across the political spectrum.
Kharge alleged that the Election Commission had failed to adequately address complaints of “vote chori” raised by Rahul Gandhi in states including Haryana and Maharashtra. He said electoral institutions must establish public trust through transparency and accountability.
Echoing Kharge’s concerns, INDIA bloc leaders said they would oppose any process that replaced transparency with secrecy and maintained that the constitutional principle of equal voting rights must be protected.
The demands form part of the Opposition alliance’s broader campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and its push for changes to the electoral process.
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