K.C. Venugopal accuses EC of targeting marginalised voters through SIR

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-09-12 04:42:39 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-27 12:38:27

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The Election Commission's use of the Supreme Court's ruling on ballot paper verification, or SIR, has been criticized by Congress MP K.C. Venugopal for allegedly discriminating against marginalized voters.

The election commissioner, Mr. Bhatia, recently affirmed that the election commission is obligated to follow the Supreme Court's guidelines regarding the use of the paper verification rule, or SIR, a day after a poll official in Bengal created an uproar by applying the paper verification rule exclusively to voters in a predominantly Muslim constituency.

Congress MP K.C. Venugopal immediately accused the EC of "targeting" marginalized voters by using the SIR, claiming it is a "very dangerous" trend that will undermine democracy. He emphasized that the voters who predominantly benefit from SIR are those who are poor, illiterate, and belonging to the lower castes and religious minorities.

Several political scientists have also pointed to research showing that SIR leads to longer wait times for marginalized communities, causing many to leave the queue without casting a ballot.

The episode has raised questions about the neutrality of the Election Commission and whether its policies are biased against certain groups. With several state elections underway, these accusations could cause tensions to rise if the allegations are not appropriately addressed.

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