In a revealing commentary, Swaminathan Gurumurthy, Chairman of the Vivekananda International Foundation, has shed light on a forgotten era of Indian electoral politics. He states that today's political parties, debating the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, are unaware that their own cadres once performed this very task as a routine duty.
From Grassroots Worker to Foundation Chairman
Gurumurthy draws from his direct experience as an active political worker for the Congress party for over a decade during his student days. He worked under the leadership of the legendary K. Kamaraj. His account provides a stark contrast between the electoral practices of the past and the present-day debates.
Detailing his hands-on involvement, he recalls residing in the Mylapore assembly constituency since the 1960s. There, he and fellow party workers were led by his law teacher, who was also a Congress politician from Mylapore. Their mission was clear and commenced well ahead of polls.
The Rigorous Cadre-Led SIR of the Past
Six months before elections, this team would embark on a door-to-door campaign, visiting every house and hut. They carried physical copies of the voters' list and meticulously verified the details on the ground.
Their work was fundamental to the integrity of the electoral roll. They assisted in enrolling new voters who were eligible but missing from the list. Simultaneously, they took steps to remove the names of deceased individuals or those who had migrated out of the constituency. This painstaking process ensured the list was accurate and up-to-date, a service performed by party workers for the Election Commission.
Gurumurthy emphasizes that his Congress team was, in essence, the SIR team of the Congress party assisting the EC. He also gives credit where it's due, noting that workers of the DMK were often more efficient in this SIR work. He attributes their superior performance to being more committed and hard-working at the grassroots level.
The Shift: From Cadre Power to Money Power
The underlying critique in Gurumurthy's narrative points to a significant shift in Indian politics. He laments that this deep, cadre-driven engagement with the democratic process stopped after money power replaced dedicated party workers. The hands-on, volunteer-driven system of maintaining the electoral roll has faded, making the current debate around SIR seem "uninformed" to someone who lived through that era.
His commentary, dated December 07, 2025, serves as a historical reminder. It highlights a time when political commitment was demonstrated through boots on the ground, working in tandem with constitutional authorities to strengthen the very foundation of elections: a clean voter list.
