Economist Challenges Amit Shah on Electoral Roll Deletions, Demands SIR Rollback

HYDERABAD: Political commentator Parakala Prabhakar on Tuesday questioned the legitimacy of governments formed after the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, challenging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain how nearly three crore deleted voters could be branded “illegal infiltrators”. He demanded a complete rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. A day after Shah led a BJP padayatra in Hyderabad to counter the INDIA bloc’s Delhi rally, Prabhakar accused him of making remarks unbecoming of his office. He challenged the Union minister and his supporters to attend a public hearing organised by the Telangana Voter Rights Forum (TVRF), “at least in disguise”, to understand the impact of the exercise. At a press conference, Prabhakar cited the forum’s social audit and public hearings in Musheerabad and Secunderabad Cantonment, where it had interacted with hundreds of voters. He demanded state-wise and constituency-wise details of the alleged infiltrators, adding that the ECI had yet to provide proof despite a May 27 Supreme Court direction. The renowned economist said the current SIR was flawed as voters risked being deleted if they failed to submit forms, citing cases of long-settled couples whose names had been questioned or removed. Civil rights activist Prof G Haragopal also sought scrapping of the SIR, warning that flawed electoral rolls threatened democracy. The TVRF demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and repeal of the 2025 SIR guidelines and the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act.