CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of working in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was “pre-election homework” being done for the ruling party.
“The SIR is nothing but the pre-election homework the ECI does for the BJP now,” Warring said in a statement issued here.
The Congress leader’s remarks came after the Election Commission announced a special revision of electoral rolls in states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal, all scheduled to go to polls next year. Warring said Punjab, which votes in early 2027, would “definitely be next in line.”
He described the revision as “an organized way of stealing votes by the ECI for the BJP,” claiming that the process allows the ruling party to access voters’ data while selectively deleting names of those from sections such as Dalits, Backward Classes and minorities.
“Through the SIR, the ECI not only collects voters’ data and keeps it at the disposal of the BJP, but also disenfranchises those it believes won’t vote for it,” Warring alleged.
He said the BJP had little political ground in Punjab and could only resort to “manipulative methods” through the Election Commission’s exercise. “Otherwise, the BJP does not have any significant base in Punjab worth even a single assembly segment,” he claimed.
Warring said the Congress will resist any attempt to “tamper with the electoral rolls” and directed party workers at the grassroots level to stay vigilant. “We will not let the ECI do the BJP’s bidding in Punjab,” he said, urging citizens to regularly verify their voter details.
He cautioned people against “removal of their names from the electoral rolls,” calling it the “main purpose” of the SIR. “We are alert and will guard against this possible vote theft,” he added.
