TMC MP Sagarika Ghose alleged the SIR process of electoral rolls is being manipulated for BJP’s benefit. She said 23 Opposition parties have written to the CJI seeking judicial scrutiny, highlighting complete unity among non-NDA parties.
Opposition Alleges Electoral Roll Manipulation, Writes to CJI
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose on Tuesday alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls was being “manipulated” to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and said 23 Opposition parties had jointly written to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), seeking judicial scrutiny of the electoral process.
Speaking to ANI, Ghose claimed the Opposition was united in raising concerns over the SIR exercise and accused the Election Commission of acting in favour of the ruling party. “There is complete unity, complete unity in the non-NDA opposition, that the SIR process is being used for the benefit of the BJP to manipulate election results. In an unprecedented move, this has not happened before, 23 opposition parties… have written a joint letter to the Chief Justice of India appealing to the conscience of the judiciary at the manner in which the SIR process is being used to benefit the BJP,” Ghose said.
She alleged that elections, the voting process and the electoral process were being manipulated and said the Opposition had approached the judiciary to examine the issue. “For the first time, a joint letter has been written by 23 opposition parties appealing to the judiciary. It’s been written to the Chief Justice of India, appealing to the judiciary on the manner in which the SIR process is being manipulated to benefit the BJP,” she added.
Ghose said that 21 Opposition parties had earlier met on June 8 and decided to jointly oppose what they described as irregularities in the SIR process. She noted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had also joined the initiative by signing the letter addressed to the CJI.
Rejecting suggestions of differences within the Opposition, Ghose asserted that all non-NDA parties were working together. “The non-NDA opposition is completely united… We are going to move forward in a spirit of complete unity, solidarity, and resistance against the BJP and the manner in which it is trying to hijack Indian democracy,” she said.
The INDIA bloc, including the AAP and the DMK, has written to the Chief Justice of India expressing concerns over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision process and other election-related issues. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the letter, first proposed during the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, has now been signed by 23 political parties and one Independent member. TMC MP Derek O’Brien also confirmed that the AAP and DMK were among the signatories.
Ghose Slams Proposed Uniform Civil Code
Ghose also criticised the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), questioning the timing and intent behind the move. “We are concerned about the intentions of the BJP. Why is the BJP bringing the UCC at this time? We see that whenever the BJP brings any law, it’s for creating social unrest… Without consensus and wide-ranging consultation, we cannot support this UCC,” she said.
Her remarks came a day after the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026. During the Assembly proceedings, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state was moving towards implementing a Uniform Civil Code and said a committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Ranjana Desai had been constituted to prepare a roadmap. He added that a draft legislation would be placed before the state Cabinet on July 2. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)