"India's political opposition has warned that democracy is under threat amid a controversial exercise to revise the voter register across the country, which critics say will disenfranchise minority voters and entrench the power of the ruling Narendra Modi government. An debate erupted in India's parliament last week over the special intensive revision (SIR) process, which is taking place in nine states and three union territories, in one of the biggest revisions of the country's electoral roll in decades."
"State leaders have claimed it is being used to disenfranchise poor and minority voters particularly Muslims as illegal immigrants and manipulate the electoral roll to benefit the Modi government. The BJP openly embraces a Hindu nationalist ideology seeking to reshape India from a secular state into a Hindu rashtra, or Hindu nation. During the party's 11 years in power, its policies and discourse have sharply polarised the nation along religious lines fuelling a surge in anti-Muslim hostility."
India is undergoing a special intensive revision (SIR) of its voter register across nine states and three union territories, one of the largest electoral roll updates in decades. Opposition leaders allege the SIR functions as an underhand citizenship survey aimed at disenfranchising poor and minority voters, particularly Muslims, by classifying them as illegal immigrants. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party embraces Hindu nationalist aims and has centralized power across state institutions, governing 21 of 28 states. Critics warn the process could manipulate electoral rolls to benefit the BJP and erode the integrity of India's democratic elections.
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