India's US Ambassador Blasts Jayapal's Statement on Voter Rolls Purge
Kwatra called Jayapal’s remarks unacceptable interference and said India remains a vibrant democracy with independent institutions and free, fair elections.
- On Wednesday, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal expressed deep concern over the Indian government's purge of 130 million people from voting rolls, comparing it to the Donald Trump administration's efforts to "undermine voting rights in a democracy."
- The voter roll revision, known as the SIR, triggered widespread protests over concerns about electoral outcomes, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objecting 14 times in 10 months to poll decisions.
- Demonstrations have erupted across India, calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign; on October 10, police detained and allegedly assaulted around 7,000 protesters in Delhi participating in these demonstrations.
- Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states have used the SIR to deny ration cards to those removed from the rolls, though the Election Commission stated genuine voters can seek inclusion through the claims process and Form 6.
- While the Supreme Court upheld the exercise's legality in May, deletions remain extensive, with 6.16 crore removed across 18 States and Union Territories in the third phase; earlier SIR phases saw 7.2 crore deletions.
31 Articles
31 Articles
Communists and allies fight back after 130 million voters purged in India
DELHI—The United States isn’t the only country where a right-wing government is working overtime to purge the voter rolls to fend off a loss at the polls. After initiating what was called a “Special Intensive Revision” (SIR) of voter registrations in 2025, the Election Commission of India moved to strip over 130 million people of […]
When US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal expressed concern over the alleged deletion of millions of names during the SIR process, India termed it interference in internal affairs. Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra cited India's democracy and independent electoral institutions, stating that India is a vibrant democracy.
India's US Ambassador blasts Jayapal's statement on voter rolls purge
Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India’s ambassador to the U.S., said Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s (D-Wash.) remarks on the recent protests in India following a nationwide revision of voters list are an “unacceptable interference in India’s internal affairs.
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