Opposition MPs on Tuesday challenged the legality of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, accusing it of bias, while the government dismissed the claims as false during the Lok Sabha debate on electoral reforms.

The session had begun under protest, with Opposition MPs demanding that no legislative business take place until the House addressed concerns over the SIR of electoral rolls. Allegations of pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during enumeration and reported deaths among field officials heightened tensions.

Opening the debate, Congress MP Manish Tewari claimed that the Election Commission “legally has no right” to conduct the SIR, and insisted that the process must be halted.

He argued that neither the Constitution nor any present law permits such a large-scale revision of voter lists.

“There is no provision for SIR in the Constitution or in law. This is only a limited right to correct rolls for specific constituencies where reasons are recorded in writing and made public,” Tewari said. “Stop this SIR. Multiple wrongs do not make a right.”

He proposed amending the 2023 law governing appointments to the Election Commission.

The current panel comprises the Prime Minister, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Cabinet Minister. Tewari suggested adding the leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and the Chief Justice of India to the committee.

“If such a committee is formed then theek se khela hovega (there will be balance),” he said.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that at least 10 BLOs have died during SIR-related field work in Uttar Pradesh.

“We demand that families of the deceased BLOs be given Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job,” he said.

The Congress has also demanded a bar on direct cash transfers ahead of elections.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused Congress of questioning the foundations of Indian democracy.

“Congress has tarnished the Constitution of India. Indira Gandhi won Rae Bareli by ‘vote chori’,” he said.

The debate intensified following remarks by leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who alleged widespread manipulation of voter rolls, particularly in Haryana.

“We have a Brazilian woman who appears 22 times in the Haryana voter list,” Gandhi said. “The election was stolen and the theft was ensured by the Election Commission.”

He accused the ruling party of “directing and using” the EC to undermine democracy and said, “Do not worry, we are going to change the law retroactively and we are going to come and find you.”

BJP MP Sambit Patra said Gandhi’s comments were “full of falsehoods” and amounted to unprecedented threats against a constitutional authority.

“This is a sign of arrogance and ignorance,” he said.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, BJP MP Narhari Amin dismissed Mr. Gandhi’s charges as baseless, saying the Opposition had been “screaming about the SIR for the last six months” without evidence.

He noted that the government had agreed to a 10-hour debate in each House to address concerns. “He cannot prove anything,” Amin said.

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MP Shrikant Shinde urged that the minimum age to contest elections be lowered from 25 to 18.

“If a person is eligible to vote at the age of 18, then they should also be eligible to contest elections,” he said in the Lok Sabha, arguing that younger Indians deserved the opportunity to run for public office and shape national policy.

With both sides digging in, the first major debate of the Winter Session laid bare widening rifts over election oversight.

The government has maintained that ongoing reforms followed under due process, while the Opposition insisted that the SIR and alleged irregularities must be investigated before India heads into its next electoral cycle.

The Speaker adjourned the House after high decibel exchanges.