Amit Shah hits out at Congress over election roll row, points to voter trust in PM Modi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has defended the integrity of India's electoral processes, rejecting opposition attacks over the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls and asserting that the public remains firmly behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration.

Speaking as political friction mounted over the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Shah said the Congress party and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi should prepare for another decisive defeat in the 2029 general election. He pointed out that while the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise commenced in 2024, the opposition's string of electoral defeats stretches back continuously throughout Gandhi's leadership tenure. Shah said citizens can see through attempts to shield irregular entries and register infiltrators on the rolls.

Amit Shah defends poll roll revisions

Shah maintained that the government's focus remains on institutional stability and clean democratic records. Emphasising the democratic mandate delivered in successive polls and recent by-elections, the Home Minister urged the opposition to engage in serious introspection rather than attempting to undermine faith in constitutional bodies.

The Congress party sought to counter his stance on Wednesday. Party general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh posed three questions regarding how many infiltrators had been identified, removed, or deported following the revision. Ramesh claimed the administrative drive had disenfranchised roughly 14 crore people across the country out of nearly 100 crore individuals reviewed under the revision exercise.

Protesters detained in Delhi

Meanwhile, security arrangements were enforced across central Delhi following attempted demonstrations near Jantar Mantar. Delhi Police moved against demonstrators who breached security barricades and entered the neighbouring Janata Dal (United) party office premises.

A Delhi court sent two co-conveners of the Kokrajar Janta Party, Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka, to five-day judicial custody at Tihar Jail. Police cited multiple infractions, including violations of prohibitory orders enforced under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, criminal trespass, obstructing public servants on duty, and breaching a one-year peace bond executed on 11 October.

A third party leader, Ajinkya Shinde, was released after furnishing a bail bond of Rs 5,000 on an undertaking to maintain peace for six months. Kokrajar Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke criticised the detentions, while police authorities reiterated that law and order regulations around sensitive institutional zones in the capital would be strictly upheld.