ECI Rejects MP Dharamvira Gandhi's Allegation of Missing Voter Names

The Election Commission of India (ECI) stepped in on Friday to put an end to a swirl of confusion that had been swirling around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Punjab. In a brief statement, the commission said that Congress MP Dharamvira Gandhi and four members of his family do appear in the state’s draft electoral rolls, which were released on August 13.

Gandhi had taken to the media earlier in the week, lamenting that the SIR process – which was supposed to be a smooth, voter‑friendly exercise – had instead left him and his relatives “in the dark”. He told reporters that he had been informed that the voter‑mapping for himself, his wife, his daughter, his daughter‑in‑law and his son had not been completed, and that this was a “fact”.

That narrative, however, was swiftly challenged by the ECI. The commission labeled the MP’s statement as “incorrect, baseless and unsubstantiated”, insisting that the five names are, in fact, present in the draft rolls for Assembly Constituency No. 115 – Patiala, Part 98, occupying serial numbers 44 to 48.

The official clarification was unequivocal: “All the mentioned persons are very much a part of the Draft Electoral Rolls published on 13 August 2026.” In other words, the alleged omission was nothing more than a misunderstanding – or perhaps a miscommunication – rather than a procedural glitch.

To cap it off, the ECI appealed to the media to “refrain from reporting unsubstantiated and incorrect information regarding SIR 2026”. The commission’s prompt response aims to reassure voters that the roll‑updating exercise is on track, even if occasional headlines suggest otherwise.