Bhubaneswar, Oct 12: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing it as an important exercise to protect the integrity of elections and strengthen public confidence in democracy.

In a post on his X handle, Majhi said the credibility of a democratic system depends on free and fair elections and the protection of every eligible citizen’s right to vote. He stressed that accurate and updated electoral rolls are essential to maintaining public trust in the electoral process.

The Chief Minister pointed out that duplicate entries, outdated records and the names of deceased persons on voter lists can affect their accuracy. He said the SIR process helps identify discrepancies, remove duplicate entries and update records following deaths or changes in residence.

At the same time, Majhi emphasised that the exercise must ensure that no eligible voter is wrongfully excluded. He said fairness and due diligence were crucial to protecting electoral rights and ensuring equal representation.

According to the Chief Minister, reliable voter lists are not merely an administrative requirement but a key element of electoral fairness and the sanctity of every vote.

His remarks come amid an ongoing political debate over the nationwide SIR exercise being conducted by the Election Commission of India, with concerns being raised over the process and the potential exclusion of eligible voters.

In Odisha, the final electoral roll published after the SIR process recorded approximately 3.16 crore electors.

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