BJP leader Smriti Irani on Tuesday criticised the Congress for opposing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She said the party had lost 57 elections even before the voter list revision exercise began.

Irani accused Congress leaders of questioning constitutional institutions and undermining the Election Commission of India (ECI) instead of examining the reasons behind their electoral defeats. Speaking to the press, she recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stand that political opposition is part of democracy, but attacks on key democratic institutions should not be encouraged.

Questioning the Congress's opposition to the voter roll cleanup, Irani said, "If there are duplicate names or deceased individuals in the electoral rolls, why does the Congress party want the names of deceased people restored? Why does the Congress party want duplicate entries to remain?"

She also questioned whether the Congress applies the same standards to the ECI in states where non-BJP governments are in power, including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Karnataka.

Meanwhile, INDIA bloc leaders on Tuesday announced a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on November 5 against the SIR exercise and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They alleged that constitutional institutions were being misused to undermine democracy.

Addressing a press conference at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office, state Congress chief B K Hariprasad said the protest would form part of the INDIA bloc's nationwide agitation against the voter revision exercise. The bloc is also demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

"The November 5 protest at Freedom Park is a continuation of the agitation organised by the INDIA bloc at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on November 1 against the Special Intensive Revision process and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar," Hariprasad said.