Gandhinagar: Political reactions have intensified in Gujarat following the release of the Final Electoral Roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcoming the outcome as a step toward transparency, while the Congress raised serious concerns over alleged irregularities and voter deletions.

BJP state chief spokesperson Dr. Anil Patel said that voter list purification drives have been conducted across the country multiple times since Independence to remove duplication, deceased voters’ names, and other discrepancies. He asserted that the preparation of Gujarat’s final electoral roll has brought clarity and accuracy, describing it as a process in which “facts have prevailed.” Patel accused Congress leaders of attempting to create confusion and undermine democratic institutions through allegations against the Election Commission, but maintained that the relatively small number of cancelled voters after purification reflects the credibility of the exercise. He also noted that citizens who turned 18 by January 1, 2026, can still apply for inclusion using Form 6, and any remaining errors can be corrected through prescribed procedures involving Forms 6, 7, and 8. Emphasizing the BJP’s ideological stance, Patel said the party views voters as partners in democracy rather than a vote bank and contests elections on the strength of organisation and governance performance.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Chavda, addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad, stated that the Election Commission, as a constitutional body, must ensure that no citizen is deprived of the right to vote. He said the SIR exercise began on October 27, 2025, and involved door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), some of whom allegedly faced severe mental stress, with reports of tragic incidents emerging during the process. Chavda claimed that 74 lakh voters were removed in the draft roll and that the final list now contains 4,40,30,725 voters—showing a reduction of 68,12,711 names compared to the previous roll. Referring to earlier allegations of “vote theft” raised by opposition leaders, he said the final deletions validate Congress concerns about a large number of suspicious entries.

The Congress further questioned the addition of 9.56 lakh new voters and deletion of more than 3.95 lakh names, demanding booth-wise data be placed in the public domain. Chavda also raised doubts over the large number of Form 7 objections submitted before the January deadline, alleging a “planned conspiracy” to remove genuine voters and seeking disclosure of details, including CCTV footage of submissions. He warned that submitting false Form 7 applications constitutes a criminal offence and called for legal action against those responsible, alleging collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission—an allegation the ruling party has rejected.

With both sides presenting sharply divergent narratives, the release of Gujarat’s final electoral roll has set the stage for a fresh political confrontation ahead of upcoming elections.