Nishar Mohammed & Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov. 22: The Andaman & Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC) today raised serious objections over the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR/SIR) process, alleging that the administration is conducting the exercise in undue haste, risking the exclusion of thousands of eligible voters across the islands. Addressing a press conference, ANTCC President Mr. Rangolal Halder said the exercise lacks transparency and does not reflect actual ground realities.
Mr. Halder said the Congress Party has always worked to make the public aware of their constitutional rights, but the current SIR process appears to be creating widespread confusion. He questioned the need for such a rushed revision immediately after the 2024 general elections, stating that “many brothers and sisters who voted earlier are now unable to cast their vote because they have not been included in the new electoral list.”
He alleged that the administration’s claim of distributing over 98% of electoral forms is “practically impossible,” adding that “in reality, even 60–70% distribution has not happened in many areas.” According to him, BLOs on the ground can confirm that the numbers being announced by the election office are far from accurate. “This cannot be done in one month. Even during the 2002 SIR under the Vajpayee government, the process took almost two years,” he said.
Mr. Halder urged the public to urgently collect and submit their forms, warning that the current speed and method could disenfranchise a large section of voters. He also alleged political motives, claiming that the process was being used to reduce Congress votes. “The government knows Andaman is a Congress stronghold. That is why this hurried SIR is being imposed,” he said.
Speaking next, ANTCC Spokesperson Mr. Tamil Selvan backed the President’s concerns, saying that while Congress is not against the SIR process itself, the 30-day deadline given by the administration is unrealistic and unsuitable for a geographically scattered region like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He explained that the islands’ hilly terrain, remote habitations, limited transportation, and poor internet connectivity make it impossible for BLOs to distribute, collect, and upload thousands of forms within such a short time.
“Even in mainland constituencies, 30 days is a short period. For the islands, a minimum of six months is required. The administration’s numbers do not match the actual field situation, and there is a huge gap between the forms they claim to have distributed and what has actually been received,” he said.
Mr. Selvan further questioned the logic of using the 2002 voter list as the primary reference point, pointing out that many current PRI members and elected representatives did not even feature in that list. He argued that voters who participated in the 2024 parliamentary elections should automatically be considered valid voters for the revision. “If someone voted in 2024, how can they suddenly become ineligible in 2025?” he asked.
The spokesperson warned that the uploading process alone could take months, as BLOs are currently able to upload only 40–60 forms per day due to slow servers and inconsistent connectivity. If all activities close on December 4, he said, thousands of forms will remain pending, causing large-scale voter exclusion.
Both leaders urged citizens across the islands to immediately collect and submit their forms along with proper documents, and to follow up with their respective BLOs until their names are confirmed in the electoral roll. “If people delay today, they may face the same problems years later when future revisions refer back to the 2025 list,” Mr. Selvan added.
The ANTCC concluded the press conference by demanding transparency, a realistic timeline, and a clear explanation from the Election Commission regarding the criteria, categorization, and progress of the ongoing SIR process.
