Mallikarjun Kharge demands return to ballot paper voting in India

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has called for an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, describing protests against the exercise as a “second war of independence.” Speaking in Patna during a commemoration of Bihar’s first chief minister, Krishna Singh, Kharge alleged that the electoral process has been compromised by the manipulation of rolls and the deletion of opposition supporters.

Kharge demanded the annulment of all assembly elections held over the last two years, specifically citing West Bengal, Haryana, Bihar, and Maharashtra as states where he alleged governments were obtained through “vote chori” (vote theft). To restore transparency and public confidence, he advocated for the use of ballot papers in all future elections.

Additionally, Kharge criticized the BJP and RSS ideology for deepening social divisions and addressed issues of caste-based discrimination. He also remarked on the political shift of JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, noting his departure from the socialist ideals of leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan.