Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Congress leader and Margao Block Congress Committee Convener J. P. Savio Coutinho on Friday met Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi and submitted a detailed representation alleging large-scale deletion of voters from electoral rolls in Goa during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025-26 process.
According to Coutinho, a total of 1,39,634 voter names were deleted during the revision exercise. He submitted 16 spiral-bound annexures containing documents and evidence related to the issue. A similar representation was also submitted to the office of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
During the meeting, Coutinho alleged that the voter revision process was misused to target traditional Congress supporters and non-BJP voters in the state.
Among the concerns highlighted before the Congress leadership was the deletion of what Coutinho claimed were genuine voters, which he said could significantly influence electoral outcomes in Goa’s small constituencies.
He also alleged irregularities involving Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), claiming that FIRs were filed against him after he exposed discrepancies in the process. Coutinho stated that documents obtained through the Right to Information Act from the Goa State Central Library contradicted the allegations made against him.
The Congress leader further alleged that BJP Booth Level Agents (BLAs) had filed bulk objections against voters without conducting proper field verification. According to him, one party worker had later withdrawn objections in writing, claiming the forms were filled by staff linked to a local MLA.
Coutinho additionally claimed that several voters attempting to restore their names to the electoral rolls were being asked to furnish lease agreements and other documents not mandated by the Election Commission of India.
In his representation, Coutinho urged the All India Congress Committee (AICC) to intervene with the Election Commission of India for a fresh Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Goa before the 2027 Assembly elections.
He also sought legal assistance from the AICC to file a writ petition seeking restoration of allegedly genuine deleted voters and requested the deputation of an AICC team to Goa to coordinate booth-level voter restoration efforts through Congress block committees.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Coutinho said, “1.39 lakh voters were deleted from the rolls. This is vote chori before 2027. I have submitted full proof to Kharge ji and Congress will not allow Goa’s mandate to be stolen.”
According to Coutinho, Kharge reviewed the documents and assured that the Congress party would take up the matter and work to protect the voting rights of Goans.
