‘SIR weaponised to ensure BJP wins’: Minister Priyank Kharge

BENGALURU: Rural Development and IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday opposed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, which will begin in its third phase in the state, and said that the move was “weaponised” to favour the BJP.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge launched a scathing attack against the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling him a “stooge of the BJP.” Alleging no accountability from the ECI, he asked if the poll body had judicial immunity.

The Congress leader said, “SIR is a very serious issue as it is being weaponised to ensure that the BJP wins elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is nothing but a stooge of the BJP. He should take the BJP-RSS membership, wear Ganavesha and roam around. I do not know why the ECI has judicial immunity. Is he above the Constitution? No questions are being answered”. “We will not accept that. We need very specific answers to our specific questions, and then only we will allow the SIR to happen,” he added.

#WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge says, “SIR is a very serious issue as it is being weaponised to ensure that BJP wins elections… I do not know why the ECI has judicial immunity. Is he above the Constitution? No questions are being answered… We will not… pic.twitter.com/NOno1NV1qS

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2026

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced the conduct of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase-III of electoral rolls across 16 States and three Union Territories, covering over 36 crore electors in a phased manner. For the states of Karnataka, Meghalaya, Maharashtra and Jharkhand and the Union Territory of Delhi, the qualifying date is October 1.

The draft roll will be published on August 5, with claims and objections from August 5 to September 4. The notice phase and disposal will conclude on October 3, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7.

Earlier, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said, “We are ready to go to the Supreme Court for that.” He added, “We have thought that the final voter list should be submitted. Accordingly, we have discussed whether we can approach the court. There are ten or twelve points. We have discussed it.”

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has called a Congress Legislative Party meeting on Sunday to discuss the SIR exercise. (ANI)