Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram has launched a scathing critique of the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of attempting to alter the "electoral character" of Indian states through the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls. Chidambaram’s remarks come in the wake of the ECI’s controversial decision to delete 65 lakh names from the electoral rolls in Bihar—many of them categorized as either permanently migrated or untraceable. At the same time, he flagged what he called the "alarming and illegal" addition of 6.5 lakh voters, mainly migrant workers, in Tamil Nadu, where elections are due next year.
According to Chidambaram, the simultaneous removal of voters in Bihar and the addition of new voters in Tamil Nadu points to a deeper, more disturbing strategy. He contends that calling these migrant labourers "permanently migrated" is not just a misrepresentation but a violation of their rights and a clear interference in the democratic process. He questioned the rationale behind granting voter IDs to guest workers in Tamil Nadu when their permanent homes and families remain in Bihar or other originating states.
The former Union Home Minister argued that voter registration must be rooted in the notion of a fixed and permanent legal residence. Merely working in a state temporarily, he said, does not entitle one to be registered as a voter there. In his view, the ECI is misusing its authority and undermining the sanctity of regional electorates by transferring voting power in a manner that could sway future elections in favor of certain outcomes.
Chidambaram also raised constitutional concerns, asserting that the actions of the poll body not only insult migrant workers but also threaten the integrity of elections in Tamil Nadu. His statement echoed the fears of the ruling DMK and other regional parties in the state, who argue that registering guest workers as voters may gradually shift the political landscape and distort voter representation.
The broader controversy over the Bihar SIR process is already mired in accusations of disenfranchisement. Opposition leaders in the state have condemned the removal of nearly 8% of the electorate without adequate transparency or public notice. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has defended its decision by citing the need to eliminate duplicate and outdated entries accumulated over two decades of voter list expansions.
As the political temperature rises over these revisions, Chidambaram has called for a political and legal challenge to what he deems a misuse of electoral power. The issue, he insists, is not just administrative but one that strikes at the heart of India’s federal democratic structure.
