Kharge to Raise SIR, Delimitation and Women's Reservation Concerns With PM Modi
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said he will apprise Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his party's concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the proposed delimitation exercise and the delay in implementing women's reservation when the two meet on Wednesday (October 21, 2026).
Speaking to journalists in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, Mr. Kharge said he had already written to the Prime Minister on these issues and would use the interaction to explain their implications in detail. He said he would also seek clarity from the government on why women's reservation, already approved by Parliament, has not yet been brought into effect.
"I have personally written to the Prime Minister in this regard," he said, adding that he would elaborate on his concerns during the meeting.
The Special Intensive Revision is a process under which the Election Commission reviews electoral rolls constituency by constituency, verifying entries and removing names found to be ineligible, duplicated or deceased. Political parties across the spectrum have debated the exercise: its supporters describe it as necessary for clean rolls, while several Opposition parties have argued that genuine voters, particularly in poorer and marginalised communities, risk being left out. The Election Commission has maintained that the process follows established rules and offers opportunities for claims and objections.
Delimitation refers to the redrawing of constituency boundaries to reflect changes in population. It is carried out by a Delimitation Commission set up under an Act of Parliament, and its orders cannot be questioned in any court. Several States, especially in southern India, have expressed concern that a fresh delimitation based on updated population figures could alter the distribution of parliamentary seats between States. No decision on undertaking a new delimitation has been announced, and the issue remains a subject of public debate.
Women's reservation rests on the 106th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 2023, which sets aside one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and in State Legislative Assemblies for women. Under the amendment, the provision is to take effect after a census and the subsequent delimitation exercise. Mr. Kharge's demand for a timeline reflects a broader demand from several parties for the reservation to be operationalised without further delay.
Separately, Mr. Kharge extended Dasara greetings to people across the country and expressed the hope that the festival would bring happiness to all. Referring to the distress caused by the rainfall deficit in parts of the State, he said he hoped a change in weather conditions would bring much-needed relief.
Drawing a parallel with the Mysuru Dasara celebrations, Mr. Kharge called for a grand Dasara festival to be organised in the Kalyana Karnataka region, preferably in Kalaburagi, from next year onwards, to promote cultural heritage and foster unity across the State.
He said he would discuss the proposal with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and explore the possibility of holding a celebration that draws wide public participation and promotes social harmony.
