Punjab Turns Heads Amid Protests Against SIR, with Congress, AAP, and Others Singing Praises of the SIR Process and CEO Anindita Mitra

WHILE PROTESTS AGAINST the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, continue, the final electoral rolls have received widespread support in Punjab. The final lists for all assembly constituencies in Punjab were published on October 12, 2026, with the Congress, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and others expressing their approval.

At the centre of the applause is Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Anindita Mitra, who has termed the SIR process a legitimate clean up rather than the deletion of voters’ names, as is usually alleged. Punjab’s announcement of its final electoral rolls has once again shed light on the ongoing protests against the SIR exercise across the country. 

Overseen by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the SIR process has received widespread flak since its announcement on October 25, 2025. A year later, the opposition and the newly formed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) expressed their dissent over the conduction of SIR and demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities.

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Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of committing vote chori (vote theft), igniting dissent against the SIR. Cut to the present, the Punjab SIR has turned the tables, with representatives of the Congress, AAP, BJP, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) praising CEO Anindita Mitra and sharing positive responses after the SIR was conducted in the state, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Congress, AAP, SAD Praise SIR and Election Commission in Punjab

The SIR revision began in Punjab on June 25, 2026, ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, and covered all 117 constituencies in the state. After the completion of the SIR, Punjab’s electorate reportedly decreased by 13.60 lakh voters. As of October 14, 2026, the number of registered voters in Punjab stands at 2,01,00,727. The figure previously stood at 2,14,61,043 on June 9, 2026.

Representatives of the BJP, Congress, AAP, and SAD have shared positive responses following the completion of the revision. They praised CEO Anindita Mitra and credited her with addressing their concerns and issues regarding the SIR exercise in the state. Anindita Mitra is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 2007 Punjab cadre. She was appointed Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer by the ECI in January 2026.

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Congress spokesperson Hardeep Singh Kingra called Mitra “very active” and further commended her transparency in sharing updates with all political parties during the SIR process. The Congress spokesperson also clarified his position on not fully supporting the SIR, adding, “in Punjab, we have not let the Election Commission do any irregularities.”

AAP spokesperson Ferry Sofat also shared that they had raised their issues and concerns, which were promptly addressed by the CEO. Sofat further commended the conduct of the SIR in the state and recalled that concerns regarding the SIR had been raised with the CEO in Delhi, West Bengal, and other states. “In Punjab, the process has been smooth and well coordinated by CEO Anindita Mitra, and this is what has been praised,” said Sofat.

Punjab Electorate Sees a Fall of 6.34% After SIR

According to Punjab CEO Anindita Mitra, 7,97,263 new voters were added during the SIR process, including 2,93,049 first-time voters. The SIR began in the state on June 25, 2026, and the draft electoral rolls were published on August 13, 2026.

The final electoral roll saw the electorate increase from 1,93,94,435 to 2,01,00,727, comprising 1,03,76,026 male voters, 97,24,195 female voters, and 506 third-gender voters. Mitra said that Punjab’s electorate base had reportedly increased by 3.5%. She further clarified that claims and objections, if any, would be received from among the 1.94 crore voters listed in the draft electoral rolls.

[RH/VS/VP]

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