Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has alleged that the Election Commission has always been a ‘puppet’ in the hands of the Modi Government.
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NEW DELHI: In an interview with PTI, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has alleged that the Election Commission has always been a ‘puppet’ in the hands of the Modi Government and claimed the poll body’s move, i.e., Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, is unconstitutional that has aimed to ensure that majoritarian governments remain in power.
Sibal also alleged that each election commissioner surpasses the previous one in his “alignment with this government”.
Attacking the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the former law minister said the Election Commission (EC) doesn’t have the jurisdiction to decide issues of citizenship.
The electoral process forms the backbone of a democratic society, ensuring that every citizen has a voice in shaping their future. However, the recent controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar has raised serious concerns about the integrity and fairness of this process. As the state prepares for elections in November 2025, critics have accused the Election Commission (EC) of overreach and bias, turning what should be a constitutional exercise into a potential tool for disenfranchisement.
The Election Commission of India has maintained that the ongoing revision, being undertaken after a gap of 22 years, is essential to cleanse the voters’ list of ineligible and duplicate entries, and to include new eligible voters. According to the EC, this process aims to uphold the sanctity of elections and ensure free and fair voting.
Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said while asked about the opposition’s attack on the EC over SIR,
“It has always been a puppet in the hands of the government for a long long time ever since this government came to power.”
Sibal emphasized that the EC has consistently failed to demonstrate independence, stating,
“In fact, each election commissioner surpasses the previous one in his alignment to this government.”
He further said,
“This is, according to me, a completely unconstitutional process that is being carried on. The Commission doesn’t have the jurisdiction to decide issues of citizenship, and that is also by the block level officer.”
The Senior Advocate said,
“I have been saying that they (BJP) adopt all possible means to somehow win elections. In fact, this whole particular process of a special intensive revision is a process to ensure majoritarian governments for all times to come.”
He further added,
“This is the intent because if you delete the names of the poor people, the marginalised, the adivasis, you will ensure that the majoritarian party always wins. So this is yet another way of ensuring that and this is very worrisome.”
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal reiterated his longstanding criticism of the Election Commission (EC), stating that it lacks the independence expected of a constitutional body. Refusing to comment on the Supreme Court’s interim order on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, since he is counsel in the matter, Sibal expressed hope that the EC would adhere to the Court’s guidance to avoid further controversy.
Highlighting the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament, Sibal emphasized that the SIR issue is more pressing than many current political topics. He also raised concerns about the unexplained surge of voters in constituencies won by the BJP in Maharashtra.
These remarks follow a recent Supreme Court directive asking the EC to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID, and ration cards as valid documents during the SIR process in Bihar, where over 7 crore voters are being reviewed ahead of the 2025 elections.
The Court, while acknowledging SIR as a constitutional function, stressed that the EC must act within its limits. It identified three key issues: the EC’s authority to conduct SIR, the procedure being followed, and the tight timeline, given Bihar’s elections in November 2025. The bench scheduled a detailed hearing for July 28 and directed the EC to respond within a week.
Though the EC’s legal team objected to the inclusion of the three additional documents, the Court clarified that while the EC isn’t bound to accept them, it must justify any decision to exclude them.
Represented in court by senior advocates Rakesh Dwivedi, K K Venugopal, and Maninder Singh, the EC has argued that the SIR is a constitutional mandate and that the list of documents used to verify voter identity is not exhaustive.
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