The Aam Aadmi Party has decided not to join the INDIA bloc's October 6 protest march to the Election Commission of India over the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said on Monday that his party would continue its own campaign against what it describes as irregularities in the SIR exercise. He said the party considers the issue a broader people's movement and is conducting protests separately.
Sanjay Singh Explains AAP's Decision
Speaking at the Parliament House complex, Singh said the October 6 demonstration was specifically an INDIA bloc protest and that AAP would not participate in it.
He said different organisations and political groups were already holding protests at various locations and that AAP would continue its campaign independently.
Singh also said AAP was not using its own party banner for its protests because it considers the SIR issue to be a matter concerning people across the country.
INDIA Bloc Announces Joint March
The INDIA bloc decided to organise the October 6 march after a meeting of 19 opposition parties on September 30.
The opposition parties announced that their MPs would march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters in Delhi. Leaders also planned to meet the President to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
The September 30 meeting was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Left leaders.
AAP and the DMK did not attend the meeting. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren participated virtually.
What Is the SIR Controversy?
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise aimed at reviewing and updating electoral rolls.
The process has faced criticism from opposition parties, which have alleged that changes to voter records and procedures could affect eligible voters. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that its SIR-related decisions followed established legal and statutory procedures.
The controversy intensified after an Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on record at least 14 times over a 10-month period regarding SIR-related decisions and orders.
According to the report, the objections concerned matters including voter enrolment, deletion and restoration of names, appeals and access to election-related software. The report also said the two commissioners had described certain changes to voter enrolment forms as “unauthorised” and “illegal.”
Election Commission Rejects Split Claims
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions that there is a division within its three-member panel.
The poll panel has said differences in views and observations are part of institutional deliberations and has maintained that decisions relating to the SIR were taken unanimously and followed established procedures.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court, which is examining challenges related to the Election Commission's functioning and decisions connected with the SIR process.
INDIA Bloc Holds Protest on October 6
While AAP stayed away from the joint march, the INDIA bloc went ahead with its planned demonstration in Delhi on Tuesday.
Opposition MPs marched toward the Election Commission headquarters and raised concerns over the voter-list revision process and demanded action concerning Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was met with heavy security arrangements in central Delhi.
AAP's decision means that, despite sharing concerns about the SIR process, the party is pursuing a separate campaign rather than joining the INDIA bloc's October 6 action.
For now, AAP has made clear that it intends to continue its own protests while the wider opposition continues its campaign over the Election Commission and the voter-list revision exercise.
