Democracy Behind Closed Doors: The SIR Reality

THE wheels of Indian democracy are turning once again as the Election Commission launches the third phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Across Odisha, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Manipur, booth-level officers are tasked with going door-to-door to ensure the electoral rolls are flawless before the June 28 deadline. On paper, the goal is noble and precise: to ensure no eligible citizen is left out, and no ineligible name remains. It is an ambitious attempt to update the records for over 36 crore voters across 16 states and three union territories. Yet, while administrative machinery moves smoothly in peaceful regions like Odisha or Sikkim, applying the same rigid blueprint to a state fractured by conflict reveals a profound and troubling disconnect.

In Manipur, the idea of a standard “house-to-house” visit feels less like a bureaucratic exercise and more like a cruel joke. Since the devastating violence erupted in May 2023, thousands of homes have been reduced to ashes, and entire villages have vanished into wasteland. Hundreds of thousands of people have been uprooted, living in makeshift camps or fleeing the state entirely. How exactly are government officials supposed to knock on doors that no longer exist? Both the central and state governments have shown a shocking lack of accountability, failing to maintain an accurate, transparent record of exactly how many people have been displaced or where they have fled.

This administrative failure highlights a deeper, more painful negligence from both the central leadership in New Delhi and the state government. By pretending that a standard enumeration drive can function normally in a war zone, the authorities are effectively turning a blind eye to internally displaced persons. These survivors, who have already lost their homes, livelihoods, and sense of safety, now face the very real threat of losing their political identity. Forcing traumatized, displaced citizens to navigate complex paperwork or find an internet connection in a relief camp just to keep their right to vote is completely unfair. It represents a total breakdown of state responsibility, treating citizens as statistical data rather than suffering human beings.

A democracy is only as strong as its commitment to its most vulnerable citizens. If the government can spend vast resources on security forces and official exercises, it must find a way to actively seek out and register every single displaced person from Manipur, rather than letting ethnic divisions dictate who gets counted. True inclusivity cannot be achieved by sitting in comfortable offices and issuing deadlines while avoiding the ground reality. Until the state acknowledges the reality on the ground, stops hiding behind paperwork, and takes deliberate, compassionate steps to count those who have lost everything, this intensive revision remains an incomplete, hollow promise.

~ Zogam Today | Editorial | 09.06.2026

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