New Delhi: The Election Commission must take concrete steps to restore public trust, as it bears the primary responsibility of upholding the faith placed in it by the people of India, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said while speaking at the India News Manch conclave organised by the ITV Network.
Speaking on the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections, Singhvi asserted that 2026 would be the year of the Congress and its allies. He claimed that out of the five states going to the polls, the BJP would lose four. He further emphasised that the BJP would also lose Assam, stating that the people of Assam are no longer with the party and are prepared to vote for change.
On electoral reforms, Singhvi criticised the Election Commission’s voter verification process, saying it unfairly shifts the burden of proving citizenship onto ordinary citizens. He noted that although the ECI accepts 11 documents as proof of citizenship, even these can be questioned, forcing people to repeatedly prove their status and effectively treating them as “permanent guests.” He added that the situation created by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is unprecedented, stating that never before have thousands of voters from a single constituency—around 4,500 in this case—been collectively placed on a so-called “guest list.”
Dr. Singhvi said the Election Commission must restore public trust and uphold the faith of the people. He criticised the exclusion of voters who have participated in elections from 2003 to 2025 under the SIR, calling it arbitrary and unjustified. He stressed that while the Constitution guarantees the right to vote, any restriction must be grounded in clear law and due process, adding that there is no legal provision allowing the Election Commission to question the citizenship of crores of voters through a mass exercise.
He further warned that verification drives conducted close to elections would generate fear and harassment, particularly in border states such as Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. Questioning claims of widespread illegal voting, Singhvi asked for evidence and pointed out that elections have taken place smoothly for decades, arguing that such large-scale irregularities would have surfaced earlier if they truly existed.
Singhvi said any electoral reform must be constitutional, evidence-based and humane, stressing that democracy cannot be protected by intimidating or disenfranchising genuine voters. He described the SIR as a form of psychological pressure and said that if such an exercise is undertaken, it must be transparent, time-bound and strictly follow due process. He added that there would be no objection if it is carried out with fairness and genuine intent.
On illegal migration, Singhvi said the issue should be addressed through proper laws, a comprehensive census and long-term administrative measures, rather than rushed electoral exercises. He called demands for documents such as parents’ birth certificates impractical for most citizens and reiterated that no illegal immigrant voters were found in the Bihar elections, despite repeated claims.
He also said he has repeatedly sought evidence from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding alleged irregularities in Bihar, but has received none so far.
