Alumni Discussion Raises Concerns Over Voter Rights in Punjab SIR before coming 2027 assembly elections 

Ludhiana, August 25, 2026: In an online discussion among alumni of SCD Government College, Ludhiana, on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls they stressed the need to ensure that the exercise, while aimed at maintaining clean and credible electoral rolls, does not inadvertently disenfranchise any eligible citizen. The participants were worried in view of media reporting of concerns emerging from the SIR exercises in other states. Rohit Singh Bedi and Brij Bhushan Goyal Org secretary of Alumni Association felt that their institution that has produced a former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Padma Bhushan M.S. Gill, makes it especially appropriate for its alumni to deliberate on an issue touching the fundamental democratic right to vote.
Initiating the discussion, Prof. P.K. Sharma, freelance journalist, raised several questions regarding the reliance on the 2003 electoral roll as a reference for establishing eligibility. He asked whether an old electoral record should become an essential test of a citizen's present right to vote. He also raised concerns about citizens whose names may have minor discrepancies, or who may be unable to trace old records, and asked what remedy would remain if their names were not restored after submitting the required documents.
A former KV School Principal Manjit Singh Sandhu gave a particularly personal perspective, saying that he had lived in different parts of the country for nearly five decades because of education and employment, often staying at one place for only two or three years. Can an entry in the 2003 electoral roll, in effect, become the test of a citizen's right to vote in 2026? I do not believe that it should,” he observed. He questioned whether citizens should be penalised for legitimate mobility and pointed out that a person employed in 2003 could subsequently have lived in several cities, changed constituencies and updated his electoral and other documents. 
Brij Bhushan Goyal, said that indifference or lack of seriousness in protecting legitimate voters' interests could ultimately “boomerang” and stressed that “we cannot be disenfranchised like this.” He added that the onus should substantially lie on the electoral system to protect the legitimate voter's identity and franchise.
At the same time, Anil Rampal, offered a contrasting view, describing the SIR as “one of the most transparent exercises ever” and complimenting the Election Commission. However, V K Dhir, Retd. District Attorney, however, expressed concern that genuine citizens could be deprived of their franchise if they were unable to produce old or untraceable records relating to the 2003 roll. He argued that the custodian of such historical records should bear responsibility for producing them rather than placing the entire burden upon citizens. 
The discussion concluded with a call for simple, transparent and voter-friendly safeguards, adequate notice, accessible offline assistance and an effective opportunity for appeal before any legitimate voter's name is deleted.