Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa says the Election Commission (EC) must regain public trust following controversy around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He argues that people are increasingly worried about protecting their voting rights during the past 16 months, and that the EC’s decision to conduct the SIR took many by surprise.
Lavasa links the criticism to concerns about the integrity of the exercise and its implications for the accuracy and fairness of voter rolls. Other reports add that dissent within the EC and perceived lack of transparency in decision-making have raised questions about the commission’s credibility. Protests and public criticism also extend beyond the EC, with some commentators characterizing the exercise as harmful to democratic processes and pointing to broader political context, including actions by the ruling party.
