ECI Deleted 15% of Population: Ex-CEC Quraishi Takes Dig at SIR

"I would like to compliment the Election Commission for completing a very difficult mission of eliminating about 14–15 crore population of India through this exercise. I don't know how many illegal immigrants they have found, which was the main purpose of this exercise. It's a pity they have not disclosed this figure," he told ANI.

He urged the EC to release the number publicly to showcase their "great success" in achieving something that the National Population Commission was unable to do.

"I would request them to please come out with this figure, so that we know what a great success you have been, and also that you have achieved something that the National Population Commission could not do. You have contributed a lot to population control by eliminating about 15% of India's population," he said.

This is not the first time Quraishi has criticised the exercise. He has previously said the SIR process is "not well-intentioned", arguing that voting is a constitutional right, not a "charity" granted by the Election Commission.

"I think the entire SIR exercise is not well-intentioned. The way it has deleted crores of voters is tinkering with democracy. You are a citizen of India. I'm a citizen of India. Voting is our constitutional right. Article 326 says that everyone shall be registered. So it is not a charity from the Election Commission that they will give you that," he told ANI.

As per an ECI press note, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being carried out in several states with the objective of ensuring that the electoral rolls are accurate, up-to-date and free of ineligible or duplicate entries, while ensuring that no eligible elector is left out.

The Special Intensive Revision was announced nationwide in October 2025 by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He cited migration, voters being registered at more than one place, names not being deleted after death, and foreign nationals being included in voter lists as factors behind the decision.

The exercise has since been rolled out across several states and Union Territories, many of which have either held or are heading into elections. The drive has drawn sustained criticism from opposition parties.

In recent times, the Maharashtra SIR has come under scrutiny after the publication of the draft voter list, which reflected two crore fewer voters than the previous electoral roll.

According to data released by Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer, out of 9,78,54,049 electors, a total of 7,71,65,562 submitted their forms during the enumeration phase of the SIR as of August 17.

Congress leader Pawan Khera has also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the alleged removal of two crore voters from Maharashtra's electoral roll under the SIR, asserting that votes are being "stolen" in the state in real time.

The exercise remains a major flashpoint between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, particularly in poll-bound states.