Overview
- Calling the Opposition’s narrative false, the home minister said the Special Intensive Revision is an Election Commission exercise to remove deceased and foreign nationals and vowed to “detect, delete and deport” illegal immigrants.
- Rahul Gandhi interrupted to challenge Amit Shah to a public debate on his three press conferences and on electoral transparency, but Shah said he would not be dictated to on the order of his remarks.
- Congress-led MPs exited the House after the exchange, with Gandhi later labeling Shah’s reply defensive and saying questions on transparent voter lists, EVM architecture and immunity for election commissioners were left unanswered.
- Shah alleged the Opposition wants to retain illegal immigrants as voters and cited three alleged historical instances of “vote chori” involving Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi; BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad also sought to expunge K.C. Venugopal’s speech.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Shah’s “outstanding” address, as disputes over EC appointments, commissioners’ immunity and the 45-day CCTV retention rule continue to face political pushback and court scrutiny.