BJP’s explanation of the “13 crore” statistic
The BJP has stressed that the “13 crore” number mentioned by opponents does not denote voters who have been permanently erased from the electoral roll. Those names appear in the draft list because they fall into categories such as deceased, migrated, long‑term absent, or duplicate records. They remain in a provisional pool that can be contested through the claims‑and‑objections mechanism before any final deletion is confirmed.
Clarifications on Form 6 and the revision workflow
Responding to fresh criticism about Form 6—the application used to request inclusion in the roll—the party notes that the core format is unchanged. A new declaration clause has simply been added to simplify the process for voters. Moreover, the BJP underlines that the election machinery continues to function through its established, decentralized structure, with state election officers retaining full legal authority.
In addition, the BJP points out that roughly 2.37 crore young citizens have been added to the rolls since June 2025, emphasizing that the ongoing revision is a routine update rather than a mass purge.
The broader controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
The SIR has turned into a flashpoint in parliamentary debate. Opposition parties argue that the sheer volume of names missing from the draft rolls signals systematic exclusion, while the Election Commission has launched remedial drives in states where the exercise is complete to enrol any eligible citizens who may have been left out.
For the BJP, the heart of the dispute lies in terminology. It insists that “flagged” names in the draft stage are not the same as “deleted” names in the final roll. The ongoing claims‑and‑objections period will ultimately decide which entries survive the verification process.
