Karnataka: Thinkers, activists reject SIR, term it 'undemocratic' & 'unscientific'

Bengaluru, DHNS: A group of eminent writers, intellectuals and activists has slammed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) as “undemocratic” and “unscientific,” and has sought the stoppage of the process.

The note released to the press, signed by 308 signatories including Justice B Sudarshan Reddy, Ram Punyani, Yogendra Yadav, Teesta Setalvad, Prakash Raj and Tushar Gandhi, noted that the ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court regarding the constitutional validity of SIR must first be concluded.

It explained that “6 crore rightful voters” have been “deprived” of their right to franchise in 10 states and 3 UTs where SIR has already been conducted.

“During the SIR in Bengal, about 35 lakh voters seeking adjudication were denied verification for no fault of theirs. They lost their right to vote. This mass denial of their basic right has proven, beyond doubt, that this is a flawed process, and designed with mala fide intent.”

The letter noted that most of those who had been removed from the voters list were from minority, Dalit, Adivasi and other marginalised sections like migrant workers, daily wage labourers and nomadic communities. Even here women have been disproportionately impacted, it added.

“A process that deletes or sends notices to notable citizens of this country – including Noble Laureate Amarthya Sen, former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd), Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami, Joy Goswami, the award-winning poet – deletes lakhs of people with all documents including passports, not even sparing many returning officers who are under election duty - only further demonstrates the deeply flawed nature of the SIR process.”

The note said that the SIR had “completely failed” in its objective of identifying and removing “infiltrators.”