The Supreme Court revives a controversial data system for citizenship checks

On Friday, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) leaders staged a protest in Vijayawada, demanding the removal and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was organized by the APCC president, Y.S. Sharmila, as part of a broader campaign against alleged electoral irregularities. Speaking to the protesters, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji called for an independent inquiry into the alleged irregularities and urged the immediate suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Shivaji criticized the centralization of voter data entry, arguing that it should not overshadow the role of local Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and called for a decentralization of the Election Commission's functioning to enhance transparency and accountability. He also expressed concerns over software-related restrictions that allegedly barred eligible citizens from registering as voters once they turned 18, requesting an explanation from the Election Commission regarding the rationale behind these provisions.

Shivaji suggested that the courts should take "suo motu cognisance" of allegations of "vote theft" and order a judicial inquiry to uncover the facts and assign responsibility. He invited the TDP national president, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, and the Jana Sena Party president K. Pawan Kalyan to share their perspectives on the allegations.

Meanwhile, Vijayawada City Congress president Naraharishetty Narasimha Rao alleged that the BJP-led alliance had benefited from "vote theft" and that the Election Commission had been manipulated to facilitate electoral fraud.