NEW DELHI, October 8, 2026 : The INDIA bloc has sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to submit a joint representation over the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said on Thursday.
Venugopal said the opposition alliance had submitted its first request to the Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 2 and was awaiting confirmation of a meeting.
Appointment Request Sent Twice
According to Venugopal, the first letter seeking an appointment was sent on October 2.
He said the Rashtrapati Bhavan subsequently asked the opposition grouping to provide the names of the leaders who would attend the proposed meeting.
The INDIA bloc then submitted another request on October 5, providing the names of the leaders and seeking an appointment on October 7, 8 or 9.
“So far, we have received no response. We will wait until Friday,” Venugopal said.
Opposition Plans Representation on SIR
The proposed meeting is linked to the INDIA bloc’s campaign against aspects of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The opposition alliance has been coordinating a joint response to the issue and has announced a series of political activities, including rallies and “Save Democracy” marches.
The decision to approach the President followed a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders in which the parties discussed a coordinated strategy on the electoral-roll revision controversy.
Leaders to Meet the President
The opposition grouping includes several major political parties and leaders.
Among those involved in the recent discussions were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, among others.
The proposed representation to the President is intended to present the opposition’s concerns regarding the SIR exercise.
Kharge’s Statement
Following the opposition meeting, Mallikarjun Kharge said the INDIA bloc had decided to seek an appointment with President Murmu and submit a representation concerning what he described as “the vote chori government.”
The phrase reflects the opposition’s political criticism of the government’s handling of electoral matters.
The INDIA bloc has argued that the SIR process requires greater scrutiny and safeguards to ensure that eligible voters are not excluded from electoral rolls.
Report on Election Commissioners’ Objections
The opposition’s decision to approach the President also followed a report by The Indian Express concerning internal objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The report stated that the two commissioners had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the preceding 10 months, with many of the objections reportedly concerning decisions and orders related to the SIR process.
The report became an important element in the opposition’s criticism of the electoral-roll revision exercise.
Election Commission’s Response
The Election Commission of India has responded to the controversy by stating that differences of opinion and observations are a normal part of deliberations within an institution.
The Commission has maintained that its orders have full legal sanction and are issued in accordance with established statutory procedures.
Thus, the controversy involves competing positions: opposition parties have raised concerns about the SIR process and internal disagreements reported within the Election Commission, while the poll panel has defended the legality and institutional process behind its decisions.
INDIA Bloc’s Coordinated Campaign
The opposition alliance has been seeking to maintain a coordinated political response to the SIR issue.
Its announced programme includes public rallies, demonstrations and Save Democracy marches, alongside the proposed representation before the President.
The move reflects the opposition’s decision to take the electoral-roll issue beyond Parliament and political meetings and present its concerns to the country’s constitutional authorities.
Waiting for Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Response
For now, the INDIA bloc is awaiting confirmation of an appointment.
Venugopal said the opposition would wait until Friday for a response from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
If an appointment is granted, opposition leaders are expected to present their concerns regarding the SIR exercise and submit their representation to President Murmu.
The issue remains politically contentious, with the opposition demanding greater scrutiny of the electoral-roll revision process and the Election Commission maintaining that its decisions follow the applicable legal and statutory framework.
