Rajya Sabha MP and lawyer Kapil Sibal voiced concern on Sunday over the Election Commission's voter roll revision exercise, contending that it was deleting valid voter entries while adding those who do not qualify. He questioned whether elections retained any purpose if the body overseeing them functioned to entrench one party's dominance.

The comments followed the issuance of notices to Sibal and his spouse under the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, categorised as "unmapped with last SIR." He noted that if completing the process posed difficulties for someone in his position, ordinary voters attempting the same procedure would likely encounter even greater obstacles.

At a press conference, Sibal questioned the basis on which Gyanesh Kumar held the position of Chief Election Commissioner. Sibal stated that he had been notified despite his name appearing in the draft electoral roll, and questioned the authority under which such action had been taken and permitted.

He indicated that the notice cited a discrepancy between his father's name and his own as recorded in the current electoral roll compared with those listed in the rolls compiled during the previous Special Intensive Revision. He added that the Election Commission appeared to be issuing such notices without adequate consideration of whether the recipients actually warranted them.

Sibal raised the question of whether those without public profiles face even greater vulnerability when such situations arise. The independent Rajya Sabha MP questioned how an individual would manage under such circumstances, adding that no physical copy of the notice addressed to them had been received at that point. He stated that the document had not been delivered to the location and was absent from the relevant office.

Sibal questioned how the electoral rolls process functioned, noting that without prior knowledge he would have faced deletion of his name and been left with no recourse other than approaching the Supreme Court. He asked what the special intensive revision exercise actually entailed.

Sibal alleged that ballots were being manipulated through the targeted removal of legitimate votes and the introduction of fraudulent ones. He raised doubts about the value of holding elections if the results were already tilted toward the BJP.

Sibal contended that a process described as a "special intensive revision" was also under way, through which ineligible names were purportedly being entered onto electoral rolls while legitimate voters were removed. He noted that petitions would need to be filed before the Supreme Court, and that of the 38 lakh names removed from electoral rolls, only one lakh cases in West Bengal had been resolved, adding that the election itself may have little purpose under such circumstances.

Sibal called for electoral considerations to be addressed. He raised concerns that the Election Commission's conduct may favour the BJP's continued hold on power, and called for the body to be abolished.

Sibal stated that legal proceedings could be pursued through the courts, and that if the judiciary were prepared to accept such a process, it would reflect poorly on the nation. He contended that the process of compiling the voter roll ahead of the 2029 election was being conducted in bad faith and with dishonest intent.

Notices were sent to several prominent individuals — including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Sibal — regarding discrepancies identified in the registration forms they filed as part of the ongoing SIR process, officials said on Saturday. According to a statement from the Chief Electoral Officer's office, Gupta's registration has been approved and her name will appear in the final voter list for the Shalimar Bagh constituency, due for release on November 4.