Lucknow: UP Congress president Ajay Rai on Friday alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh was “illegal” and undermined democratic rights, raising serious questions over the sharp drop in voter numbers after the exercise.Reacting to the final electoral roll, Rai claimed that an RTI filed by activist Anjali Bhardwaj revealed that the Election Commission had no official records or orders related to SIR.“If no such order exists, under whose direction was this exercise conducted?” he asked, hinting at political pressure.Rai also alleged that booth-level officers (BLOs) were put under undue pressure during the revision process, leading to extreme stress on the ground.Questioning the figures, he said the state’s eligible population above 18 years exceeds 16 crore, and even local body electoral rolls reflect similar numbers.“How has the voter list dropped to 13.69 crore after SIR, when it should have increased?” he asked.Calling for a thorough probe, Rai demanded inclusion of all eligible voters before elections, or alternatively, use of existing panchayat and urban body rolls.
