‘You Can’t Dictate’: Amit Shah Retorts As Rahul Gandhi Interjects, Makes New Debate D
‘You Can’t Dictate’: Amit Shah Retorts As Rahul Gandhi Interjects, Makes New Debate Demand
M.U.H
10/12/202519
The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a clash between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, as the Congress leader demanded a debate on his press conference amid the Minister’s speech on electoral reforms.
As Shah was explaining the rationale and history of Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Gandhi interjected saying, “Let us have a debate on my three press conferences."
Shah responded saying, “I will decide the chronology of my speech. Rahul Gandhi should have the patience to listen, because I will speak when I choose and address the issues in order."
In his speech, Shah was rebutting Gandhi’s “Hydrogen bomb allegations" pertaining to SIR, saying that SIR is not a factor in Congress’s loss. “The Congress says the Election Commission works for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when they lose, but never blame it when they win…Your loss is certain, don’t blame the SIR," Shah said in his Lok Sabha speech.
“Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi ji dropped a “nuclear bomb" in a press conference on November 5, 2025. In that ‘nuclear bomb,’ he claimed that 501 votes were cast from a single house in Haryana. The Election Commission has clarified that House Number 265 is not a small house, but rather a joint residence of several families built on a one-acre ancestral plot. However, separate house numbers have not been assigned to each family, so their house number is still listed as 265. And in one of those families, three generations are living together. This number has been in use in this manner ever since the Congress government was elected in Haryana. It is neither a fake house nor fake votes," said Shah.
“The Congress has claimed that some individuals are registered in two different locations on the electoral roll. It is unfair to blame the people who appear twice, as this is often a result of systemic issues. Since 2010, the Returning Officer’s authority to remove duplicate entries has been revoked, which has led to such discrepancies. In fact, there are several leaders whose names are registered in more than one place. These are common mistakes caused by the updated rules. The SIR is meant to prevent such occurrences, yet we are being accused of “Vote Chori"," he said.
Commenting on the Haryana house mentioned by Gandhi, Shah said, it is “not a fake house or voter". “Until 2004, no political party opposed the SIR. The process is essential for maintaining clean electoral rolls and a healthy democracy. If the electoral rolls—the foundation of elections—are not accurate and up-to-date, we cannot expect the election process to be transparent and fair. Therefore, periodic SIRs of electoral rolls are necessary. In line with this, the Election Commission has decided to conduct an SIR in 2025," he said.
“Under Article 327, the responsibilities of preparing electoral rolls, carrying out delimitation, and conducting elections—including the authority to recommend relevant legislation—have been entrusted to the Election Commission. Recently, a Congress leader claimed that the Election Commission has no right to conduct the SIR. However, according to the interpretation of Article 327, the Election Commission has full authority to prepare the electoral roll for this purpose," he said.
“How can the country be safe if infiltrators vote? Should the names of people who are no longer alive remain on the voter list? Foreigners should not get the right to vote," said Shah.
“Questions were raised on SIR as if it is something new. SIR has been conducted since 1952 under various governments, including Congress. After 2004, it is happening in 2025. How can free and fair elections take place if the voter list is not updated," he asked.
