The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on October 9 & 11, 2026. Originally slated to meet from October 9 to 11, on the second day of the meeting, members of the Central Committee participated in the ongoing struggle against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, and were detained.
In the wake of the Indian Express exposure, the credibility of the Election Commission of India, particularly the Chief Election Commissioner, has suffered a serious blow. The expose vindicated the fault lines of the SIR as revealed from the data of massive deletions. The revelations raise fundamental questions not only about who authorised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the manner in which it is being conducted, but also about the functioning and independence of the Commission itself. They also pertain to the illegal amendment made to Form 6. Reports of BJP workers allegedly submitting Form 7 applications in bulk to delete the names of genuine voters have further heightened concerns about the misuse of the revision process as also the changes in the IT architecture leading to centralisation and complete violation of statutory provisions governing the role of Electoral Registration Officers.
The SIR has emerged as a serious challenge to the democratic rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India. The right to vote is a fundamental expression of popular sovereignty and the foundation of representative democracy. Any process that places this right in jeopardy must be held accountable.
The Central Committee strongly condemned the repression unleashed on protesters in Delhi and other places. The measures taken by the Delhi Police under directions from the Union Home Ministry are the most brutal in the recent times. The fundamental right to protest has been snatched by this government, once again revealing its authoritarian character. This is a violation of Article 19 of the Constitution. The right to assemble peacefully, express dissent and petition public authorities has become a crime under the BJP dispensation controlled by the RSS.
The brutal repression on protesters, including senior leaders of the Party, and MPs like John Brittas and Sivadasan and women cannot be condoned by any civilised society. Various student leaders were also brutally attacked. The Police also tried to forcefully enter the premises of the Harkishan Singh Surjeet Bhawan, the venue of the CC meeting. It also entered the premises of the Press Club of India after the conclusion of a press conference held by the Cockroach Janata Party and detained several people, including press persons. Several media persons covering the protests at various places were also detained.
True to its fascistic character, the BJP-RSS has deployed its foot soldiers both in khaki uniforms as also in civilian clothes to attack and intimidate protesters. Visuals have also emerged of sexual harassment of female protesters.
The Central Committee salutes the determination of young people, students, activists and ordinary citizens all over the country, who have come out to raise their voice braving all the restrictions and repressions. This reflects a wider concern about the future of democratic participation. The agitation against SIR must be understood in the larger context of the struggle to protect the right to vote, defend civil liberties, legitimacy of Constitution ordained basis of Indian citizenship and ensure that constitutional institutions remain accountable to the people.
The Central Committee resolved to fight unitedly with all democratic forces to demand the resignation of the CEC; roll back of the SIR; and repeal of the law governing appointments of the election commissioners.