New Delhi [India], October 12 : Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said that people across the country wanted the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to be "scrapped", asserting that voters' rights must be protected. His remarks came after INDIA bloc leaders filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decisions concerning the revision of electoral rolls.
"It is not just the INDIA bloc; it is the voice of the country. Everyone wants this SIR to be scrapped and the rights of all voters to be protected. The elections won after this SIR exercise should be scrapped, and the ballot paper system should be restored. This is the pain of the country," he told ANI.
Shivakumar alleged that BJP members had submitted lakhs of Form 7 applications in Karnataka to remove voters belonging to minority, backward and oppressed communities. Form 7 is the official form used to raise objections to the proposed inclusion or deletion of names in an existing electoral roll.
"We never expected such illegal activities. In Karnataka, I showed how BJP members submitted lakhs of Form 7 applications to remove voters from minority, backward, and oppressed communities. Now, those voters are being asked to file Form 6 applications again. They carried out similar exercises in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Haryana, and won elections. They wanted to repeat the same in Karnataka, but we will not allow it," he said.
Expressing confidence in the judiciary, Shivakumar said he hoped the Supreme Court would protect the Constitution and the rights of citizens.
"I hope Chief Justice Surya Kant and his team will protect India, the Constitution and the rights of every common citizen." He added that he hoped "injustice will not prevail from the seat of justice."
Karnataka CM Shivakumar joined the INDIA bloc's march to the Supreme Court earlier in the day. The march was led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, with opposition leaders raising concerns over the SIR exercise and its implications for electoral fairness.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also participated in the march, said the protest in the national capital brought together people from across the country to raise concerns over the alleged impact of the SIR exercise on elections.
"Today, a protest was held in the national capital, Delhi, involving people from across the state. After enduring thousands of years of subjugation, the right to vote was finally secured; however, that right was effectively stolen. Rahul Gandhi has been raising this issue for two years. This protest was held in response to the manner in which attempts were made to win the election through the SIR. Our AICC office-bearers will determine the future strategy," Sukhu said.
The petition filed by Rahul Gandhi and 10 other Opposition leaders in the Supreme Court challenges the manner in which the Election Commission has taken decisions relating to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
It seeks disclosure of the EC’s complete files, agendas, minutes, notings and objections concerning the disputed decisions, including the June 24, 2025 decision to commence the SIR, as well as ECINET and ERONET access logs.
It also seeks a judicial examination of whether these decisions were taken in accordance with Article 324 of the Constitution, the 2023 law governing the Election Commission and the Supreme Court’s ruling in T.N. Seshan vs Union of India.
Among the substantive reliefs sought, the petition asks the court to ensure that no elector is deleted without notice and a reasonable opportunity of hearing, and to direct publication, booth-wise, of deleted electors along with reasons for deletion and demographic details.
It also seeks an independent committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to audit deletions and modifications in electoral-roll databases, including ECINET and ERONET. The petition further seeks an interim suspension of the ongoing SIR pending adjudication.
The petition specifically asks the court to direct the ECI to ensure that “every decision of the Election Commission relating to the Special Intensive Revision is taken and duly minuted” in accordance with the 2023 Act. It also seeks a direction that “no elector is deleted from the electoral roll without notice and a reasonable opportunity of hearing in accordance with law.”
In their plea, the Opposition bloc has impleaded Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, alongside the ECI.
The petitioners include Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, CPI(M) MP MA Baby, CPI leader D Raja, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Majhi, NCP (SCP) MP Supriya Sule and Indian Union Muslim League leader Mohammed Basheer.