Parliament Winter Session: AAP MP Sanjay Singh seeks discussion on SIR in Upper House

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, on Monday, submitted a Suspension of Business notice in the House, demanding a discussion on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in 12 States and Union Territories.Along with the SIR exercise, he requested a discussion on the related matters, including the alleged arbitrary deletion of names from the voter lists and the demise of several Booth Level Officers in the States, with the ongoing SIR exercise.In his notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, Sanjay Singh alleged that the SIR exercise has “triggered a nationwide crisis of electoral integrity… and has instead resulted in mass arbitrary deletions, severe procedural violations, and widespread human distress, posing a serious threat to free and fair elections.”“SIR has caused unprecedented and unjustified removal of voter names, most notably in Bihar, where 65 lakh voters were deleted without proper verification. In many assembly constituencies, the number of deletions exceeded previous victory margins, raising concerns about targeted disenfranchisement of migrants, women, minorities, and vulnerable groups. The absence of meaningful appeal mechanisms and the opaque deletion process indicate a complete breakdown of due process and transparency,” he added.Sanjay Singh alleged that BLOs are facing a “humanitarian crisis” amid pressure during the SIR.“At the same time, the SIR has created unbearable pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), leading to a humanitarian crisis. Within just 19 days (till late November 2025), at least 16 BLOs have died, including suicides, reportedly due to inhuman workloads, mental stress, sleepless nights, unsafe field conditions, and punitive performance rankings. Frequent app failures, unrealistic targets, and threats of suspension have pushed frontline staff into dangerous working environments. The timelines enforced by the Election Commission are arbitrary and unrealistic,” he wrote.“This rushed, and uncorrected rollout dramatically increases the danger of large-scale disenfranchisement across the country and threatens the credibility of the electoral process. This pan-India exercise threatens the right to vote under Article 326, equality before law (Article 14), and free/fair elections (Article 21), demanding immediate parliamentary intervention to halt SIR, restore rolls, and hold ECI accountable. Sir, I request that under Rule 267 all business of the House be suspended and this extremely important national issue be discussed immediately,” the notice read.The second phase of the SIR exercise covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, following the successful completion of the first phase in Bihar. The final voter list will be published on February 14, 2026.Meanwhile, the 6th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha and the 269th Session of the Rajya Sabha commenced on Monday, marking the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament.The session will conclude on December 19.