Women’s groups at AITUC meet allege SIR risks excluding female voters from electoral rolls

Many of them opined that in Karnataka, even prior to the implementation of SIR, the voter list mapping process was conducted hastily and without transparency.

Bengaluru: At a consultation meeting held with women's organisations and social activist by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the activists opined that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is designed in a manner that deprives women of their voting rights.

Hundreds of representatives from around 32 women’s organizations across the state participated in the meeting, which was held to discuss the impact of SIR of electoral rolls on women.

“While the Election Commission of India was conducting the Special Intensive Revision, lakhs of women voters across nine states face the risk of losing their voting rights. There is no doubt that the process's design effectively excludes women from voting,” a statement by AITUC said.

Many of them also opined that in Karnataka, even prior to the implementation of SIR, the voter list mapping process was conducted hastily and without transparency.

“As a result, the names of lakhs of women, migrant and other wage workers, domestic workers, dalits, nomadic and other marginalized communities, and slum residents are being left out of the electoral rolls. Young people who have entered into love marriages and live away from their parental homes are also at risk of exclusion. The Election Commission of India has not clarified how such voters will be re-included in the rolls once SIR is implemented,” the statement said.

Maitreyi Krishnan from the All India Lawyers Association (AILAJ) opined that the SIR was unconstitutional and was depriving women of their constitutional right to vote.

“Earlier, revision of electoral rolls was the responsibility of the government, with officials conducting door-to-door verification. Now, through SIR, this burden has been shifted onto citizens. The Election Commission has prescribed 11 documents, which are not easy for women to produce; therefore, this measure effectively deprives women of their constitutional right to vote,” she said.

During the meeting, following resolutions were adopted: all women’s and LGBTQI rights organizations shall vociferously oppose the SIR, statewide protests will be undertaken throughout March 2026 to oppose the SIR, and this year’s Women’s Day shall be observed by discussing the SIR and the manner in which it strips women of the rights they have fought hard to acquire.