India, Nov. 3 -- The haste with which the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Monday, October 27, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' lists in 12 States and Union Territories has aroused grave suspicion about the real intention behind the move.

Is the Commission, on the pretext of revision of the voters list attempting to make a National Register of Citizens or is it trying to remove the marginalised sections of the population from the electoral roll, like the minorities, especially the Muslims and the Dalits and the backward classes who are known for opposing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The ECI announced a nationwide SIR through a circular issued on June 24, 20...