Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 28: A political dispute over electoral-roll revision and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process intensified in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday, with the BJP holding a press conference to defend the poll panel and reject allegations surrounding Form 6. The development came days after the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC) staged a protest over the issue, adding to the political debate over the revision of voter rolls.
Addressing reporters, Elango said the press conference was part of a nationwide BJP programme focused on allegations concerning the Election Commission of India (ECI). He accused the Congress of repeatedly questioning constitutional institutions and said the party’s claims about the electoral process needed to be examined against the available records.
On Form 6, Elango disputed the allegation that the ECI had altered the statutory form. He referred to the Commission’s clarification that Form 6 itself had not been changed, while an additional declaration or documentation requirement had been introduced in the context of SIR. The ECI’s voter-services portal currently provides Form 6 for new voter registration alongside a separate SIR declaration form.
Elango also questioned the Congress’s allegations of “vote theft”, asking why similar claims were not raised when opposition parties won elections. He characterised the allegations as part of the Congress’s political narrative around the electoral process.
Sheela Singh said the BJP sought to place its position and what it described as the factual background before the public. She urged people, particularly young users of social media, to verify information before accepting claims as established facts.
Singh also raised questions about the appointment and selection of election commissioners and referred to elections conducted under previous governments. On SIR, she said the additional declaration associated with Form 6 followed judicial proceedings and referred to the Supreme Court’s position as cited by the party.
She also challenged statements concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying he became an Election Commissioner only in 2025 and therefore could not have been responsible for decisions taken during earlier elections.
The BJP also questioned the presentation of media reports concerning correspondence involving Election Commissioners and the Cabinet Secretary, arguing that such reports should be examined in their full context.
The ECI’s official material confirms that SIR-2026 applies to the electoral-roll revision exercise and that its voter-services system provides facilities to search rolls, register new voters and submit documents. The Commission on September 26 also directed Booth Level Officers to visit the homes of certain electors who received notices over unmapped or logical discrepancies to collect documents, while ordering help desks and special camps for vulnerable groups.
The BJP’s press conference followed the recent ANTCC protest, placing competing political positions over SIR and electoral rolls in the public domain. The statements at Monday’s briefing represent the BJP’s position on the controversy, while the ECI’s official documents and clarifications provide the institutional record on the SIR process and voter services.
