ECI's Second Phase SIR: A Move Towards Genuine Voting Amid Opposition

Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar supports the Election Commission's second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in 12 States, emphasizing its importance for genuine voting. Despite opposition claims of bias, the nationwide initiative aims to ensure fair elections via accurate voter lists, slated for February 2026 publication.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, a minister from Uttar Pradesh and head of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, expressed support for the Election Commission's decision to proceed with the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists across 12 States and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh. In a statement to ANI, Rajbhar described the exercise as pivotal for ensuring 'genuine voting' by cleansing voter lists of deceased individuals and duplicates.

Rajbhar took a swipe at the Samajwadi Party for opposing the initial SIR phase in Bihar, accusing the opposition of challenging electoral processes only when faced with defeat. He criticized the Samajwadi Party's perceived focus on familial advancement, mockingly referring to their agenda as 'Parivar Development Authority'.

The Election Commission of India is set to publish final voter lists by February 7, 2026. Amid dissent from the INDIA bloc in Bihar, BJP MLA Jogeshwar Garg asserted SIR's acceptance by Bihar citizens, noting that over seven crore voters were reviewed without incident and advocating for nationwide implementation to ensure impartial elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)