Prashant Bhushan on SIR, voter deletions, and the ECI’s credibility crisis

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan speaks with Frontline about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the growing concerns over voter disenfranchisement, transparency, and political manipulation. Bhushan dissects the Election Commission of India's (ECI) opaque process, alleging that the SIR risks becoming a tool to exclude minorities and dissenting voters rather than purify the rolls. He outlines how flawed verification mechanisms, arbitrary deletions, and a lack of public oversight could undermine electoral integrity across India, and warns that without transparency, social audits, and independent oversight, the revision exercise could erode faith in democracy itself. Highlights: Why the SIR risks excluding legitimate voters under the guise of “purification” Allegations of centralised voter roll manipulation and data misuse The ECI's selective response to political complaints How Aadhaar, citizenship rules, and arbitrary deletions intersect to disenfranchise the poor A proposal for transparent, booth-level social audits of electoral rolls Electoral democracy and institutional accountability in India The politics of disenfranchisement and citizenship Election Commission reforms and digital transparency Bihar’s SIR controversy and its national implications The intersection of democracy, technology, and civil rights Perfect for those interested in: Credits: Interviewer: Soni Mishra Camera: Vedaant Lakhera and Vitasta Kaul Editing: Razal Pareed Producers: Kavya Pradeep M and Mridula Vijayarangakumar Originally published on November 13, 2025 Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295