DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇳 India /Elections & Politics

‘Eliminated 15% of population’: Ex-CEC Quraishi takes dig at SIR, questions illegal immigrant numbers

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi accused the Election Commission of India of deleting 14-15 crore people through the Special Intensive Revision, using sarcastic language to criticise the exercise.
  • Quraishi said the commission had not disclosed how many illegal immigrants it found, although identifying them was presented as a central purpose of the revision.
  • He argued that large-scale voter deletions interfere with democracy and said voting is a constitutional right.

Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has sharply criticised India’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, questioning both its stated purpose and the scale of voter exclusions. He sarcastically congratulated the Election Commission of India for “eliminating about 14-15 crore population of India” through the exercise.

I would like to compliment the Election Commission for completing a very difficult mission of eliminating about 14-15 crore population of India through this exercise. I don't know how many illegal immigrants they have found, which was the main purpose of this exercise. It's a pity they have not disclosed this figure.

· S.Y. QuraishiThe former election commissioner used sarcasm to question the scale of voter deletions and the disclosure of illegal immigrant figures.

“I don't know how many illegal immigrants they have found, which was the main purpose of this exercise. It's a pity they have not disclosed this figure,” Quraishi told ANI. He urged the commission to publish the number, saying it would show whether the exercise had achieved the result officials cited.

Quraishi said the revision had effectively contributed to population control by removing about 15% of India’s population from the rolls. He has previously described the process as “not well-intentioned” and argued that voting is a constitutional right, not a benefit the Election Commission may grant.

I would request them to please come out with this figure, so that we know what a great success you have been, and also that you have achieved something that the National Population Commission could not do.

· S.Y. QuraishiQuraishi urged the Election Commission to publish the number of illegal immigrants identified.

“I think the entire SIR exercise is not well-intentioned. The way it has deleted crores of voters is tinkering with democracy,” he said. Referring to Article 326, Quraishi added that citizens should be registered and that voting is “not a charity from the Election Commission.”

I think the entire SIR exercise is not well-intentioned. The way it has deleted crores of voters is tinkering with democracy.

· S.Y. QuraishiHe criticised the revision’s impact on voter registration and democratic participation.

The Election Commission says the Special Intensive Revision aims to keep electoral rolls accurate and up to date, remove ineligible or duplicate entries, and ensure that eligible voters are not excluded. The nationwide exercise was announced in October 2025 by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who cited migration, multiple registrations, names not removed after deaths and foreign nationals appearing on voter lists. The process has drawn opposition criticism in several states and union territories, including Maharashtra, where a draft voter list has come under scrutiny.

Voting is our constitutional right. Article 326 says that everyone shall be registered. So it is not a charity from the Election Commission that they will give you that.

· S.Y. QuraishiQuraishi argued that electoral registration and voting rights should not depend on the commission’s discretion.
About this summary

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog