Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and accused the Union government of creating a ‘permanent class of excluded Indians’ by means of this exercise.

Taking to X, Mr. Owaisi, who is the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, maintained that the SIR exercise has led to deletion of nearly 6.5 crore names from electoral rolls across 13 States and Union Territories.

Describing the right to vote as ‘the poor’s only weapon against the powerful’, Mr. Owaisi said disenfranchisement would leave vulnerable communities exposed to arbitrary government action. He claimed that reports had already emerged of people being denied benefits under government welfare schemes.

The Hyderabad Member of Parliament contended that deletion from electoral rolls under SIR did not amount to a determination that a person was not an Indian citizen. He noted that 27 lakh cases remained under adjudication and that many people could reapply for enrolment through Form 6. He further alleged that the Election Commission had not released data on the number of persons excluded on the grounds of being foreigners.

Mr. Owaisi claimed that those excluded were predominantly Muslims, women, migrants and the poor.

Later in the day, Mr. Owaisi walked across various localities in the Yakutpura Assembly constituency as part of the AIMIM’s awareness campaign on the SIR exercise. Walking through neighbourhoods and interacting with residents, he appealed to constituents to complete the enumeration process and ensure their names remained on the electoral rolls.

“I appeal to you to get your SIR [mapping] done. Check the enumeration forms that the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) give you, sign them and affix your photographs,” he said.

He said that the the exercise is scheduled from June 25 to July 24, and reiterated that his party had established a help centre at headquarters in Darussalam over the past month and a half and was assisting voters by cross-referencing details with the 2002 electoral rolls.

He urged voters to verify the forms, sign them and attach two photographs so that ‘you can not only vote but also ensure that nobody can question your Indian citizenship’. He added that booth-level agents would accompany BLOs during the exercise.

Mr. Owaisi also held a consultation with AIMIM legislators at Darussalaam where they discussed SIR mapping strategies, feedback and issues the members of the public have been facing in connection with mapping and possible solutions.