P Chidambaram highlighted that 91-93% of appeals against electoral roll deletions in West Bengal were allowed by tribunals. He termed this ‘damning evidence’ against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise that removed 27 lakh names.
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram cited figures related to appeals against electoral roll deletions in West Bengal under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), claiming that 91-93 per cent of the appeals disposed of by tribunals were allowed.
In a post on X, Chidambaram said nearly 27 lakh names were removed from the electoral rolls in West Bengal during the SIR exercise, of which 22,21,196 people filed appeals before tribunals.
‘Damning evidence’ against SIR exercise
“Unfortunately, few who debate the rights and wrongs of the S.I.R. exercise make their arguments based on facts,” Chidambaram said.
He said a little over one lakh appeals had been disposed of by the tribunals, with the number reportedly standing at 1,26,000.
Unfortunately, few who debate the rights and wrongs of the S.I.R. exercise make their arguments based on facts In West Bengal, nearly 27 lakhs were removed from the electoral rolls under S.I.R. Of these, 22,21,196 filed appeals to Tribunals A little over 1 lakh appeals were disposed of by the Tribunals. (The number is reported to be 1,26,000 appeals) 91-93% of the appeals were ALLOWED and the names were directed to be re-included in the electoral rolls That is the damning evidence against the S.I.R. exercise — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 8, 2026
“91-93% of the appeals were ALLOWED, and the names were directed to be re-included in the electoral rolls,” he said.
Chidambaram termed the appeal outcomes “damning evidence against the S.I.R. exercise”.
“That is the damning evidence against the S.I.R. exercise,” he said.
Opposition demands CEC’s resignation
His remarks came after INDIA bloc members visited Raj Ghat, as protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar entered their third consecutive day in the national capital. Opposition leaders have been demanding his resignation, alleging irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The Election Commission and BJP have rejected the Opposition’s allegations.
Jairam Ramesh alleges mass manipulation
Earlier, Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on the Central government and CEC Kumar, citing a media report that over a dozen judicial tribunal officers in West Bengal had flagged severe functional deficiencies in the Election Commission’s appeal portal.
In a post on social media platform X, the Congress leader alleged that the previous West Bengal Assembly elections were manipulated, claiming that the poll panel chief acted at the behest of the ruling dispensation’s top leadership.
“More skeletons are tumbling out of the Election Commission of India’s closet. Clearly, the PM-HM strategy was to somehow capture and win the West Bengal Assembly elections at any cost. It was a textbook case of mass manipulation and rigging which was overseen by the CEC. The puppet has, of course, to go, but the two puppeteers too have to be held accountable. They stand brutally exposed, and now it is only a matter of time for them to meet their reckoning,” Ramesh said.
Ramesh also shared an investigative media report stating that judges of more than a dozen appellate tribunals appointed in West Bengal under the directions of the Supreme Court to adjudicate the deletion of 27 lakh electors under the SIR had formally put on record major hurdles in the ECI’s digital portal. (ANI)
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