A fresh controversy is brewing over Maharashtra’s draft Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Reports suggest forms for around 2.07 crore voters have been collected, while forms for another 2.08 crore voters remain uncollected. Officials cite voters being absent, deceased or having shifted residences. 


2.08 crore Maharashtra voters may be left out of draft SIR

The Supreme Court on Friday (Jul 17) made it clear that removing a person's name from the electoral roll does not mean they lose their Indian citizenship, stressing that the Election Commission's powers are limited to maintaining voter lists. Hearing a petition linked to West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant reiterated that while the Election Commission of India (ECI) has the authority to prepare and revise electoral rolls, it cannot decide questions of citizenship.<h2>SIR deletion doesn't equal losing Indian citizenship</h2>"Our judgment (on Bihar SIR) is clear. The Election Commission of India has full control over the electoral roll. However, that does not result in loss of citizenship per se. They have a corresponding duty to refer it to the ministry of the Central government department for adjudication of the citizenship status," the Chief Justice observed.The court issued notice on a petition alleging that lakhs of people in West Bengal have been denied access to welfare schemes after their names were deleted from the electoral rolls.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonam-wangchuk-attacked-on-day-20-of-hunger-strike-object-thrown-at-activist-alleged-cockroach-janta-party-s-abhijeet-dipke-watch-1784339088172">Sonam Wangchuk attacked on Day 20 of hunger strike? 'Object thrown at' activist alleges Cockroach Janta Party's Abhijeet Dipke | Watch</a><h2>Petition flags denial of ration, cash benefits</h2>The petition, filed by Prasenjit Bose of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, argues that deletion from the electoral roll should not automatically lead to exclusion from government welfare schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), the Annapurna cash transfer scheme and other social benefit programmes.Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan told the court that despite the Supreme Court's earlier clarification in the Bihar SIR case, the West Bengal government had issued multiple orders that effectively linked electoral roll deletion to the withdrawal of welfare benefits.He argued that nearly 3.4 million appeals filed by voters excluded during the SIR exercise remain pending before appellate tribunals, leaving affected persons without access to essential benefits."The consequences of deletion now... PDS, Annapurna, caste certificates, verification," Sankaranarayanan submitted, adding that people were being deprived of government entitlements before any final determination of their legal status.<h2>Supreme Court: ECI's role is limited</h2>Previously, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was part of the Bench along with Justice V Mohana, reminded the petitioner that the legal position had already been settled in the court's Bihar SIR judgment."We are conscious of this. In our Bihar SIR judgment, we have clarified that the ECI, as soon as it takes a decision over voting rights, cannot decide citizenship. The ECI has a corresponding duty to refer the matter to the Ministry for adjudication under the Citizenship Act," Justice Bagchi observed.When Sankaranarayanan argued that the court may not have anticipated that deleted voters would immediately lose access to welfare schemes, the Bench responded that the law governing the Election Commission's powers was already clear."Law is clear. ECI has control and superintendence over the electoral roll," the court observed.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sonam-wangchuk-attacked-on-day-20-of-hunger-strike-object-thrown-at-activist-alleged-cockroach-janta-party-s-abhijeet-dipke-watch-1784339088172">Sonam Wangchuk attacked on Day 20 of hunger strike? 'Object thrown at' activist alleges Cockroach Janta Party's Abhijeet Dipke | Watch</a><h2>Plea seeks faster disposal of 3.4 million appeals</h2>The petitioner also urged the Supreme Court to ensure quicker disposal of the pending appeals. According to the plea, only 19 special tribunals are currently hearing challenges filed by voters whose names were marked under a category described as "logical discrepancy". The petition seeks an increase in the number of tribunals to at least 42, citing the huge backlog ahead of the West Bengal local body elections expected later this year.Sankaranarayanan also sought greater transparency in the functioning of the tribunals, requesting that they publish their standard operating procedures and upload their orders online. "There should be a mechanism to ensure transparency. Tribunals should have websites, put out their SOPs and put up their orders," he told the court.

The Supreme Court has clarified that removing a person's name from the electoral roll does not amount to loss of Indian citizenship, stressing that the Election Commission's role is limited to maintaining voter lists and that citizenship questions.

The Supreme Court on Friday (Jul 17) made it clear that removing a person's name from the electoral roll does not mean they lose their Indian citizenship, stressing that the Election Commission's powers are limited to maintaining voter lists. Hearing a petition linked to West Bengal's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant reiterated that while the Election Commission of India (ECI) has the authority to prepare and revise electoral rolls, it cannot decide questions of citizenship. SIR deletion doesn't equal losing Indian citizenship "Our judgment (on Bihar SIR) is clear. The Election Commission of India has full control over the electoral roll. However, that does not result in loss of citizenship per se. They have a corresponding duty to refer it to the ministry of the Central government department for adjudication of the citizenship status," the Chief Justice observed. The court issued notice on a petition alleging that lakhs of people in West Bengal have been denied access to welfare schemes after their names were deleted from the electoral rolls. Also read | Sonam Wangchuk attacked on Day 20 of hunger strike? 'Object thrown at' activist alleges Cockroach Janta Party's Abhijeet Dipke | Watch Petition flags denial of ration, cash benefits The petition, filed by Prasenjit Bose of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, argues that deletion from the electoral roll should not automatically lead to exclusion from government welfare schemes such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), the Annapurna cash transfer scheme and other social benefit programmes. Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan told the court that despite the Supreme Court's earlier clarification in the Bihar SIR case, the West Bengal government had issued multiple orders that effectively linked electoral roll deletion to the withdrawal of welfare benefits. He argued that nearly 3.4 million appeals filed by voters excluded during the SIR exercise remain pending before appellate tribunals, leaving affected persons without access to essential benefits. "The consequences of deletion now... PDS, Annapurna, caste certificates, verification," Sankaranarayanan submitted, adding that people were being deprived of government entitlements before any final determination of their legal status. Supreme Court: ECI's role is limited Previously, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who was part of the Bench along with Justice V Mohana, reminded the petitioner that the legal position had already been settled in the court's Bihar SIR judgment. "We are conscious of this. In our Bihar SIR judgment, we have clarified that the ECI, as soon as it takes a decision over voting rights, cannot decide citizenship. The ECI has a corresponding duty to refer the matter to the Ministry for adjudication under the Citizenship Act," Justice Bagchi observed. When Sankaranarayanan argued that the court may not have anticipated that deleted voters would immediately lose access to welfare schemes, the Bench responded that the law governing the Election Commission's powers was already clear. "Law is clear. ECI has control and superintendence over the electoral roll," the court observed. Also read | Sonam Wangchuk attacked on Day 20 of hunger strike? 'Object thrown at' activist alleges Cockroach Janta Party's Abhijeet Dipke | Watch Plea seeks faster disposal of 3.4 million appeals The petitioner also urged the Supreme Court to ensure quicker disposal of the pending appeals. According to the plea, only 19 special tribunals are currently hearing challenges filed by voters whose names were marked under a category described as "logical discrepancy". The petition seeks an increase in the number of tribunals to at least 42, citing the huge backlog ahead of the West Bengal local body elections expected later this year. Sankaranarayanan also sought greater transparency in the functioning of the tribunals, requesting that they publish their standard operating procedures and upload their orders online. "There should be a mechanism to ensure transparency. Tribunals should have websites, put out their SOPs and put up their orders," he told the court.

The Supreme Court has clarified that removing a person's name from the electoral roll does not amount to loss of Indian citizenship, stressing that the Election Commission's role is limited to maintaining voter lists and that citizenship questions.

Can deleted voters lose citizenship, ration benefits? Supreme Court BIG statement on ECI's role and SIR

The Election Commission has launched a large-scale voter verification and enumeration exercise across Karnataka, covering more than 5.07 crore registered voters. Thousands of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door visits to distribute and collect enumeration forms as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Officials aim to update electoral rolls, identify unmapped voters, and improve voter data accuracy. Draft electoral rolls are expected to be published on August 5, with citizens given time to file objections and corrections before the final list is prepared.


Karnataka voter verification drive begins, 5.07 crore electors covered

The Supreme Court of India has extended the deadline for the Scrutiny of the Special Investigation Report (S.I.R.) in West Bengal to February 14, 2026. This extension allows additional time for document verification and submission of objections by concerned parties.

West Bengal S.I.R: Supreme Court Extends West Bengal S.I.R. Deadline

Actor-politician and MP Kamal Haasan delivered his maiden speech at the Rajya Sabha on February 4 and expressed concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. In his speech, Haasan stated that 1 crore electorals could be declared as ‘living dead’ on pape,r all thanks to SIR.&nbsp;&nbsp;Haasan cited the example of Bihar, where the SIR of electoral rolls began in June last year and said, “My imminent concerns are the forthcoming elections…I call it the spell-check story of the living dead. We want to cast our votes, and commissions are checking our right to vote. They are checking the spellings and addresses, and that too erroneously.”&nbsp;The actor was referring to the ongoing process of EC using a centralised software to generate notice electors based on 5 categories of “logical discrepancies” submitted in their documents. This includes a spelling mismatch.&nbsp;“We just want to cast our vote. Spelling mistakes are a curse only for languages. Modern literature forgives these in favour of content, as does the internet. The Election Commission obviously does not. EC does not mean English coaches,” the actor said.&nbsp;&nbsp;He pointed out that because of the spelling mismatch, Bihar has become a “land of the living dead”.&nbsp;“We don’t want this disease to spread across the country…EC is surely facilitating the spread of this disease. We fear that there could soon be nearly 1 crore living dead on paper in Tamil Nadu,” he said.&nbsp;He urged the House to act immediately, adding that the “juggernaut called democratic India will roll on”.&nbsp;Earlier in December 2025, the initial draft roll pointed at the deletion of 97 lakh electors in Tamil Nadu alone. All have either been marked dead, shifted or registered at some other place.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nearly 1.70 crore electors were flagged for notices. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be out on February 14, and Assembly elections in TN are due soon after.

In his first speech at the Rajya Sabha, MP-actor Kamal Haasan raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. Citing Bihar's example, Haasan urged the Upper House to act upon the discrepancies. 

Actor-politician and MP Kamal Haasan delivered his maiden speech at the Rajya Sabha on February 4 and expressed concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. In his speech, Haasan stated that 1 crore electorals could be declared as ‘living dead’ on pape,r all thanks to SIR. Haasan cited the example of Bihar, where the SIR of electoral rolls began in June last year and said, “My imminent concerns are the forthcoming elections…I call it the spell-check story of the living dead. We want to cast our votes, and commissions are checking our right to vote. They are checking the spellings and addresses, and that too erroneously.” The actor was referring to the ongoing process of EC using a centralised software to generate notice electors based on 5 categories of “logical discrepancies” submitted in their documents. This includes a spelling mismatch. “We just want to cast our vote. Spelling mistakes are a curse only for languages. Modern literature forgives these in favour of content, as does the internet. The Election Commission obviously does not. EC does not mean English coaches,” the actor said. He pointed out that because of the spelling mismatch, Bihar has become a “land of the living dead”. “We don’t want this disease to spread across the country…EC is surely facilitating the spread of this disease. We fear that there could soon be nearly 1 crore living dead on paper in Tamil Nadu,” he said. He urged the House to act immediately, adding that the “juggernaut called democratic India will roll on”. Earlier in December 2025, the initial draft roll pointed at the deletion of 97 lakh electors in Tamil Nadu alone. All have either been marked dead, shifted or registered at some other place. Nearly 1.70 crore electors were flagged for notices. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be out on February 14, and Assembly elections in TN are due soon after.

In his first speech at the Rajya Sabha, MP-actor Kamal Haasan raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu. Citing Bihar's example, Haasan urged the Upper House to act upon the discrepancies.&nbsp;

‘Living dead’: Kamal Haasan warns of massive SIR discrepancies in Rajya Sabha maiden speech

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the residence of I-PAC co-founder Pratik Jain and the office of the political consultancy firm in Kolkata during ongoing raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

West Bengal CM Targets BJP Government After ED Raids I-PAC Office In Kolkata

ED Searches I-PAC Office, Its Head Pratik Jain’s Home in Kolkata in Coal ‘Scam’ Case

ED Searches I-PAC Office in Kolkata; Mamata Alleges Agency Tried to Seize TMC’s Internal Data

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleged on Thursday that the Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal and warned that she will sit on a ‘dharna’ if even one eligible person’s name is struck off the voter list. Addressing a rally in at Krishnanagar, Mamata claimed that she has not filled her enumeration form till now, asking, “Do I need to prove my citizenship to party of rioters”. “Union home minister can do anything to label all Bengalis as Bangladeshis and send them to detention camps,” she alleged.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-rajiv-gandhi-brought-evms-sir-done-several-times-under-nehru-indira-also-shah-slams-opposition-1765377338762">‘Rajiv Gandhi brought EVMs, SIR done several times under Nehru, Indira also’: Shah slams Opposition</a><h2>‘There will be no detention camps in West Bengal’</h2>&nbsp;Claiming that the SIR was being used as a political weapon prior to the 2026 Bengal assembly polls, Banerjee said, “If even a single eligible voter’s name is struck off, I will sit on a dharna. There will be no detention camps in West Bengal. They are so hungry for votes that they are conducting the SIR just two months before elections.”&nbsp;“The Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials from Delhi to oversee DMs’ work during SIR hearing,” news agency PTI quoted Banerjee as saying.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-plans-to-seek-five-year-social-media-history-of-foreign-tourists-before-entry-1765384997336">US plans to seek five-year social media history of foreign tourists before entry</a><h2>‘Fight back using kitchen tools’: Mamata exhorts women</h2>&nbsp;The Bengal CM exhorted the women of the state to be prepared with kitchen tools if their names are deleted during the voter list review.“You will snatch the rights of mothers and sisters in the name of SIR? They will bring police from Delhi during the election and intimidate mothers and sisters. Mothers and sisters, if your names are struck off, you have the tools, right? The tools you use during cooking. You have strength, right? You won’t let it pass if your names are cut, right? The women will fight in the front, and the men will be behind them,” Banerjee said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indigo-chairman-apologises-for-chaos-denies-charges-of-engineering-crisis-to-circumvent-rules-1765391153738">IndiGo chairman apologises for chaos, denies charges of ‘engineering’ crisis to circumvent rules</a>&nbsp;The second phase of SIR is being held across 12 states and UTs, including West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government is opposing the move saying it is being done to benefit the BJP.Assembly elections in West Bengal are due in the first half of 2026.

Claiming that the SIR was being used as a political weapon prior to the 2026 Bengal assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee alleged on Thursday that the Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal and warned that she will sit on a ‘dharna’ if even one eligible person’s name is struck off the voter list. Addressing a rally in at Krishnanagar, Mamata claimed that she has not filled her enumeration form till now, asking, “Do I need to prove my citizenship to party of rioters”. “Union home minister can do anything to label all Bengalis as Bangladeshis and send them to detention camps,” she alleged. Also Read: ‘Rajiv Gandhi brought EVMs, SIR done several times under Nehru, Indira also’: Shah slams Opposition ‘There will be no detention camps in West Bengal’ Claiming that the SIR was being used as a political weapon prior to the 2026 Bengal assembly polls, Banerjee said, “If even a single eligible voter’s name is struck off, I will sit on a dharna. There will be no detention camps in West Bengal. They are so hungry for votes that they are conducting the SIR just two months before elections.” “The Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials from Delhi to oversee DMs’ work during SIR hearing,” news agency PTI quoted Banerjee as saying. Also Read: US plans to seek five-year social media history of foreign tourists before entry ‘Fight back using kitchen tools’: Mamata exhorts women The Bengal CM exhorted the women of the state to be prepared with kitchen tools if their names are deleted during the voter list review. “You will snatch the rights of mothers and sisters in the name of SIR? They will bring police from Delhi during the election and intimidate mothers and sisters. Mothers and sisters, if your names are struck off, you have the tools, right? The tools you use during cooking. You have strength, right? You won’t let it pass if your names are cut, right? The women will fight in the front, and the men will be behind them,” Banerjee said. Also Read: IndiGo chairman apologises for chaos, denies charges of ‘engineering’ crisis to circumvent rules The second phase of SIR is being held across 12 states and UTs, including West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government is opposing the move saying it is being done to benefit the BJP. Assembly elections in West Bengal are due in the first half of 2026.

Claiming that the SIR was being used as a political weapon prior to the 2026 Bengal assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Election Commission is sending BJP-inclined officials for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bengal.

‘Remove a single name from voter list, face dharna’: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee warns on SIR

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out at the opposition’s walkout on Wednesday with the ‘ghuspaithiya’ (illegal immigrant) jibe, saying that they walked out only when he started speaking about removing all illegal immigrants. “They walked out because of ‘ghuspaithiya’ because our policy is ‘detect, delete, and deport’. Their policy is to normalise infiltration, register them and then put them in voters’ list to normalise,” Shah said in Lok Sabha. He said he had also criticised Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in the speech but the Opposition chose to walk out only when he spoke about illegal immigrants and infiltrators. Shah said the Opposition walkout would make no difference on the government’s policy and approach and asserted that “not a single infiltrator will be allowed to vote.”&nbsp;Shah attacked the opposition parties saying they only want to safeguard illegal immigrants and infiltrators. “The main concern of these parties is that they want to keep illegal residents and intruders on the voter list,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dgca-orders-urgent-inspections-at-11-airports-to-ensure-smooth-operations-after-indigo-chaos-1765367066081">DGCA orders urgent inspections at 11 airports to ensure smooth operations after IndiGo chaos</a>&nbsp;<h2>‘Rajiv Gandhi brought EVMs, why is Congress opposing them,’ asks Shah</h2>&nbsp;Shah questioned why the opposition was opposing the Electronic Voting Machine that was introduced in 1989 under the Rajiv Gandhi government. He also recalled the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and asked why the Congress did not have a problem with EVM then.He also questioned why the Congress and other parties did not attend the EVM hackathon organised by the Election Commission and why they do not approach court with complaints over polls.&nbsp;<h2>‘SIR done several times under Nehru, Indira Gandhi also’</h2>&nbsp;Shah said the first SIR was conducted under first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952, and added that several SIRs were later held under the Congress governments, including that of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, in 1957, 1961, 1965-66, 1983-84.“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,” said Shah.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-how-could-other-airlines-be-permitted-to-take-advantage-delhi-hc-pulls-up-centre-on-indigo-crisis-unreasonable-fare-surge-1765363000024">‘How could other airlines be permitted to take advantage’: Delhi HC pulls up Centre on IndiGo crisis, ‘unreasonable’ fare surge</a><h2>‘When you win, EC is great. When you lose, EC works at BJP’s behest?’</h2>&nbsp;“In his press conference, the LoP levelled allegations that the voter list is not corrected and needs to be rectified. So, what is SIR? It is the procedure to sanitise the voter list. He is opposing even when we are undertaking the process,” said Shah.“Double standards won’t work in a democracy. When you win, EC is great. When you lose, EC is useless and works at BJP’s behest,” he remarked.&nbsp;<h2>‘NDA won 3 Lok Sabha polls, 41 state polls since 2014, Cong also won 30’: Shah</h2>&nbsp;Union Home Minister lashed out at the Congress, saying the NDA won 3 Lok Sabha polls since 2014, along with 41 state polls. He added that the Congress also won 30 state polls during the last 11 years, and asked how would it have won if the elections were rigged.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-aviation-minister-says-will-fire-indigo-chief-if-needed-can-government-sack-the-ceo-of-private-business-what-the-law-actually-allows-1765350448545">Indian aviation minister says will fire IndiGo chief if needed. Can government sack the CEO of private business? What the law actually allows</a>&nbsp;“Reason for electoral loss is your leadership, not EVM or electoral rolls. Opposition is worried because they can no longer run away with ballot boxes and win elections by corrupt practices,” Shah said.&nbsp;After the walkout, Rahul Gandhi said, “You should have seen the response of Home Minister, it was totally a defensive response, and what points we raised, he did not answer... I had said two-three things, I had asked for transparent voter list, he did not say a word, I had asked for sharing EVM architecture, he did not say a word... The CEC has been given full immunity...”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the first SIR was conducted under first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952 and added that several SIRs were later held under the Congress governments, including that of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, in 1957, 1961, 1965-66, 1983-84.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out at the opposition’s walkout on Wednesday with the ‘ghuspaithiya’ (illegal immigrant) jibe, saying that they walked out only when he started speaking about removing all illegal immigrants. “They walked out because of ‘ghuspaithiya’ because our policy is ‘detect, delete, and deport’. Their policy is to normalise infiltration, register them and then put them in voters’ list to normalise,” Shah said in Lok Sabha. He said he had also criticised Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in the speech but the Opposition chose to walk out only when he spoke about illegal immigrants and infiltrators. Shah said the Opposition walkout would make no difference on the government’s policy and approach and asserted that “not a single infiltrator will be allowed to vote.” Shah attacked the opposition parties saying they only want to safeguard illegal immigrants and infiltrators. “The main concern of these parties is that they want to keep illegal residents and intruders on the voter list,” he added. Also Read: DGCA orders urgent inspections at 11 airports to ensure smooth operations after IndiGo chaos ‘Rajiv Gandhi brought EVMs, why is Congress opposing them,’ asks Shah Shah questioned why the opposition was opposing the Electronic Voting Machine that was introduced in 1989 under the Rajiv Gandhi government. He also recalled the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections, and asked why the Congress did not have a problem with EVM then. He also questioned why the Congress and other parties did not attend the EVM hackathon organised by the Election Commission and why they do not approach court with complaints over polls. ‘SIR done several times under Nehru, Indira Gandhi also’ Shah said the first SIR was conducted under first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952, and added that several SIRs were later held under the Congress governments, including that of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, in 1957, 1961, 1965-66, 1983-84. “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,” said Shah. Also Read: ‘How could other airlines be permitted to take advantage’: Delhi HC pulls up Centre on IndiGo crisis, ‘unreasonable’ fare surge ‘When you win, EC is great. When you lose, EC works at BJP’s behest?’ “In his press conference, the LoP levelled allegations that the voter list is not corrected and needs to be rectified. So, what is SIR? It is the procedure to sanitise the voter list. He is opposing even when we are undertaking the process,” said Shah. “Double standards won’t work in a democracy. When you win, EC is great. When you lose, EC is useless and works at BJP’s behest,” he remarked. ‘NDA won 3 Lok Sabha polls, 41 state polls since 2014, Cong also won 30’: Shah Union Home Minister lashed out at the Congress, saying the NDA won 3 Lok Sabha polls since 2014, along with 41 state polls. He added that the Congress also won 30 state polls during the last 11 years, and asked how would it have won if the elections were rigged. Also Read: Indian aviation minister says will fire IndiGo chief if needed. Can government sack the CEO of private business? What the law actually allows “Reason for electoral loss is your leadership, not EVM or electoral rolls. Opposition is worried because they can no longer run away with ballot boxes and win elections by corrupt practices,” Shah said. After the walkout, Rahul Gandhi said, “You should have seen the response of Home Minister, it was totally a defensive response, and what points we raised, he did not answer... I had said two-three things, I had asked for transparent voter list, he did not say a word, I had asked for sharing EVM architecture, he did not say a word... The CEC has been given full immunity...”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the first SIR was conducted under first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1952 and added that several SIRs were later held under the Congress governments, including that of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, in 1957, 1961, 1965-66, 1983-84.

‘Rajiv Gandhi brought EVMs, SIR done several times under Nehru, Indira also’: Shah slams Opposition

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attack on the Centre over the ongoing SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise and compared the problem of illegal immigration to cancer. Kangana insisted that the people of the country overwhelmingly support efforts to remove illegal entrants from the electoral system, as it is essential for national integrity and security. &nbsp;Reacting to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s attack, Kangana said, “The country is not going to be deterred by such threats, and the entire country wants sanitisation from these infiltrators. Just like cancer in the body, the entire country wants to remove infiltrators,” the Mandi MP told reporters after attending the Constitution Day event at the Old Parliament building in New Delhi.&nbsp;Addressing an anti-SIR rally in Bongaon against the SIR exercise, CM Mamata Banerjee had said, “PM Modi got votes in 2024 as per the same list. If your name gets deleted, the Central government should also be deleted. Why is SIR being conducted in such a hurry?”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pak-s-efforts-to-reset-ties-with-kabul-failed-completely-says-khawaja-asif-calls-taliban-a-ragtag-group-1764159393642">Pak’s efforts to reset ties with Kabul ‘failed completely’, says Khawaja Asif, calls Taliban a ‘ragtag’ group</a>&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VIDEO | Delhi: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut (<a href="https://twitter.com/KanganaTeam?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KanganaTeam</a>) on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee&#39;s remark, says, &quot;The nation is not going to be afraid of such threats... the entire nation wants these infiltrators to be sanitised. These infiltrators are same as cancer in body.&quot; (Full video… <a href="https://t.co/R5RtPBIKkj">pic.twitter.com/R5RtPBIKkj</a>&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1993580291445998060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘SIR will identify fake voters, infiltrators, and those selling voter cards’</h2>&nbsp;Kangana had earlier welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to carry out the second phase of electoral roll revision, saying it would help detect infiltrators and strengthen democratic credibility.&nbsp;Last month, Kangana had said that the opposition parties should not have any problem with the SIR as the exercise would weed out fake voters. “It will identify fake voters, infiltrators, and all those selling voter cards,” Kangana had said soon after the Election Commission announced the second phase of the roll revision exercise.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-no-moral-standing-india-rubbishes-pakistan-s-objection-to-dhwajarohan-at-ayodhya-ram-temple-1764162465871">‘No moral standing’: India rubbishes Pakistan’s objection to Dhwajarohan at Ayodhya Ram Temple</a>&nbsp;<h2>Kangana hits out at Pakistan</h2>&nbsp;The BJP MP from Mandi also hit out at Pakistan over its foreign ministry’s statement on the flag-hoisting ceremony of the Ram Temple, saying the nation has “become a begging bowl”.“Pakistan is panicking because they are sinking day by day. They have become a begging bowl, and we are the third-largest economy and will soon become the first-largest economy,” Kangana old reporters.

Kangana had welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to carry out the second phase of electoral roll revision, saying it would help detect infiltrators and strengthen democratic credibility. She said the opposition should not have any problem with SIR, as it will weed out fake voters.

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s attack on the Centre over the ongoing SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise and compared the problem of illegal immigration to cancer. Kangana insisted that the people of the country overwhelmingly support efforts to remove illegal entrants from the electoral system, as it is essential for national integrity and security. Reacting to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s attack, Kangana said, “The country is not going to be deterred by such threats, and the entire country wants sanitisation from these infiltrators. Just like cancer in the body, the entire country wants to remove infiltrators,” the Mandi MP told reporters after attending the Constitution Day event at the Old Parliament building in New Delhi. Addressing an anti-SIR rally in Bongaon against the SIR exercise, CM Mamata Banerjee had said, “PM Modi got votes in 2024 as per the same list. If your name gets deleted, the Central government should also be deleted. Why is SIR being conducted in such a hurry?” Also Read: Pak’s efforts to reset ties with Kabul ‘failed completely’, says Khawaja Asif, calls Taliban a ‘ragtag’ group

Kangana had welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to carry out the second phase of electoral roll revision, saying it would help detect infiltrators and strengthen democratic credibility. She said the opposition should not have any problem with SIR, as it will weed out fake voters.

‘Like cancer’: Kangana Ranaut slams Mamata over SIR, says nation wants removal of infiltrators

The Kerala government has approached the Supreme Court seeking deferment of the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state until after the upcoming local body elections scheduled in December 2025. The state argues that simultaneous conduct of SIR and elections will strain administrative resources and disrupt smooth poll conduct. Kerala reserves the right to challenge the legality of SIR separately. 

Kerala Govt Plea to SC | Postpone SIR Exercise Till Local Polls Are Over

All-party meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin on Sunday decided to move the Supreme Court against the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision of the voter list in 12 States and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu. Sharing an X post, MK Stalin announced the resolution and alleged that the intent behind the SIR exercise is to snatch away the voting rights of the people. He wrote, "It is the duty of all parties to unite and raise their voices against the SIR being hastily implemented with the intent of snatching away the voting rights of the people of Tamil Nadu and murdering democracy." "Regarding the confusions and doubts in the voter list revisions - since our demand that they should be conducted after the 2026 general elections with adequate time and without any issues has not been accepted by the ECI, we have passed a resolution in today's all-party meeting to approach the Supreme Court," he added. Stalin also thanked the 49 parties which participated in the meeting to “protect democracy.” "I express my thanks to the leaders of the 49 parties who participated in the all-party meeting and registered their feelings. I request those who did not participate in this meeting to discuss SIR in their parties and take initiatives to protect democracy," the X post read. DMK leader RS Bharathi called the SIR an exercise to "indirectly" do a National Register of Citizens (NRC). He said, “We are opposing this because it is being implemented with an ulterior motive. This is not SIR. This is indirectly getting into the NRC. We are moving to the Supreme Court.” Hitting at the parties that did not participate in the meeting, Bharathi called them “the BJP's alliance.” "We don't care for them. They are all in the BJP alliance. Therefore, they didn't come," he said. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said, “Let the court issue its final order. After that, they can proceed with the SIR. That is what we wanted, and this is the resolution. The purpose of the resolution is that the election commissioners should not act on their own in SIR...” Slamming Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for not attending the all-party meeting, he said, “What can we do? We had called the TVK, but they didn't come. Many parties had come, but a few didn't want to antagonise the BJP. Maybe that's why they didn't come.” CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member U Vasuki lauded the "democratic process" to draft the resolution. He said, “The original draft of the resolution was corrected after hearing the opinions and comments of other political parties. So that was a very democratic process. Through the Supreme Court, we will wage a legal battle, and we will also go to the people, because without the people's participation, nothing can be stopped. So we will approach people as part of our campaign against this.” "They have already made a decision. The BJP and AIADMK are in the same alliance. If TVK doesn't turn up for this meeting, we can understand what their political position is," she added. While the TVK did not attend the meeting, the party issued a statement, condemning the SIR exercise. "The Election Commission of India has announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will be carried out in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, when a similar announcement was made in Bihar, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) strongly opposed it and warned about its hidden motives. Just as we cautioned then, names of lakhs of voters were removed from the rolls in Bihar, with opposition parties alleging that the deletions targeted certain communities, including religious minorities. Moreover, a case related to the special intensive revision is currently pending before the Supreme Court of India," TVK said in the statement. TVK hit back at DMK for not passing a Kerala-like resolution in the Assembly against the SIR of the electoral roll in Tamil Nadu. "The Kerala Government, our neighbouring state, has passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly opposing the special intensive revision -- a move that reflects its commitment to protecting citizens' rights. However, despite claiming to strongly oppose the SIR, the DMK has not passed any such resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Why is that?" TVK asked. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct the second phase of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said.The exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is hearing a case against the first phase of SIR in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections in the State.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and 49 parties resolved to move the Supreme Court against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in 12 states, alleging it aims to "snatch away voting rights." 

All-party meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader MK Stalin on Sunday decided to move the Supreme Court against the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision of the voter list in 12 States and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu. Sharing an X post, MK Stalin announced the resolution and alleged that the intent behind the SIR exercise is to snatch away the voting rights of the people. He wrote, "It is the duty of all parties to unite and raise their voices against the SIR being hastily implemented with the intent of snatching away the voting rights of the people of Tamil Nadu and murdering democracy." "Regarding the confusions and doubts in the voter list revisions - since our demand that they should be conducted after the 2026 general elections with adequate time and without any issues has not been accepted by the ECI, we have passed a resolution in today's all-party meeting to approach the Supreme Court," he added. Stalin also thanked the 49 parties which participated in the meeting to “protect democracy.” "I express my thanks to the leaders of the 49 parties who participated in the all-party meeting and registered their feelings. I request those who did not participate in this meeting to discuss SIR in their parties and take initiatives to protect democracy," the X post read. DMK leader RS Bharathi called the SIR an exercise to "indirectly" do a National Register of Citizens (NRC). He said, “We are opposing this because it is being implemented with an ulterior motive. This is not SIR. This is indirectly getting into the NRC. We are moving to the Supreme Court.” Hitting at the parties that did not participate in the meeting, Bharathi called them “the BJP's alliance.” "We don't care for them. They are all in the BJP alliance. Therefore, they didn't come," he said. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said, “Let the court issue its final order. After that, they can proceed with the SIR. That is what we wanted, and this is the resolution. The purpose of the resolution is that the election commissioners should not act on their own in SIR...” Slamming Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) for not attending the all-party meeting, he said, “What can we do? We had called the TVK, but they didn't come. Many parties had come, but a few didn't want to antagonise the BJP. Maybe that's why they didn't come.” CPI(M) Polit Bureau Member U Vasuki lauded the "democratic process" to draft the resolution. He said, “The original draft of the resolution was corrected after hearing the opinions and comments of other political parties. So that was a very democratic process. Through the Supreme Court, we will wage a legal battle, and we will also go to the people, because without the people's participation, nothing can be stopped. So we will approach people as part of our campaign against this.” "They have already made a decision. The BJP and AIADMK are in the same alliance. If TVK doesn't turn up for this meeting, we can understand what their political position is," she added. While the TVK did not attend the meeting, the party issued a statement, condemning the SIR exercise. "The Election Commission of India has announced that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will be carried out in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, when a similar announcement was made in Bihar, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) strongly opposed it and warned about its hidden motives. Just as we cautioned then, names of lakhs of voters were removed from the rolls in Bihar, with opposition parties alleging that the deletions targeted certain communities, including religious minorities. Moreover, a case related to the special intensive revision is currently pending before the Supreme Court of India," TVK said in the statement. TVK hit back at DMK for not passing a Kerala-like resolution in the Assembly against the SIR of the electoral roll in Tamil Nadu. "The Kerala Government, our neighbouring state, has passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly opposing the special intensive revision -- a move that reflects its commitment to protecting citizens' rights. However, despite claiming to strongly oppose the SIR, the DMK has not passed any such resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Why is that?" TVK asked. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct the second phase of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said. The exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is hearing a case against the first phase of SIR in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections in the State. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and 49 parties resolved to move the Supreme Court against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in 12 states, alleging it aims to "snatch away voting rights."&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin to approach Supreme Court against Special Intensive Revision of voter list

Loved him in ‘Sir’? Well, Vivek Gomber is back in a never-seen-before role in Disney+Hotstar web series ‘Lootere’ as showrunner Hansal Mehta and son Jai take us on an ambitious hijack drama in the waters off the coast of Somalia. In an exclusive chat with WION’s Zeba Khan, Vivek Gomber reveals whether he identifies as an indie actor reflecting on his filmography which boasts of some gems.

‘Sir’ actor Vivek Gomber on action series Lootere

Yearender 2020: The best Hindi films of the year

Rohena Gera’s&nbsp;internationally acclaimed debut feature,&nbsp;‘Sir’&nbsp; is in the theatres for a post-pandemic release. 
 
The film, starring&nbsp;Tillotama Shome,&nbsp;Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni had its World Premiere at the&nbsp;71st&nbsp;International Cannes Film Festival, in 2018, in the Critics Week competition section&nbsp;making Rohena Gera the first woman filmmaker to bag&nbsp;Gan Foundation Award for distribution. 
 
Talking about the delay in the release of the film, the director, tells WION, "I made the film for India and then it had a crazy international response, from where it got picked up for distribution in many other countries. I got busy travelling and wanted to give proper time to its India release." 
 
The film initially aimed for a March 20 release this year, however, the pandemic followed by a nation-wide lockdown forced its release to shift to November 13. "It's finally out and I hope the government keeps the theatres open till then," quips Rohena.&nbsp; 
 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tXxoTemNSDA" width="560"></iframe> 
Before 'Sir', Rohena directed a documentary, 'What's Love Got to Do?', a piece that questioned the idea of arranged marriages. On the concept of the docu-film, Rohena says, "I love love-stories. Films that question the idea of love-stories in urban spaces. People like us, urban people, would watch all kind of love-stories but still opt for arranging marriages.' What's Love' raised a basic question, is love more important or is the arrangement more important." 
 
Carrying on her love for romantic stories, Gera says, "In this film when you say is love enough, it's really about if love can overcome barriers. The film really appeals to the best in us." 
 
The director has a really interesting way to look at romance and calls love 'an equaliser'. "What I love about love-stories is that when you are in love with a person you automatically sees the other person's point of view. When you fall in love with a person different from you, you get an exposure to see the world from a completely different perspective. There's real beauty in that idea of enriching your life through a love story." 
 
Produced by Inkpot Films (Brice Poisson and Rohena Gera), and co-produced by Ciné-Sud Promotion, the film&nbsp;is a story of&nbsp;a Marathi widowed domestic&nbsp;worker who finds a complicated romantic spark with her recently single employer who’s just returned from the US after breaking off his engagement.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Speaking about the birth of the film, Gera elaborates, "We have a very intimate relationship with people who work at our homes, they know almost all our life's details, yet there's a distance with which we treat them. This is something that has always bothered me. I wanted to make a film that could address the class-difference, without being preachy." 
 
So what made her turn to a love-story? The director answers, "Probably because of 'What's love' and working on the idea of love, I decided to approach this difference through a love story. In a love-story, two people are pretty much equal. However rich or poor you may be, if a person you love, doesn't love you back, it doesn't matter what you have in your bank account. So, I thought it was a nice way to make each character equal and then to explore what is the barrier actually. Love-story was a way to approach the class difference in a gentle way. " 
 
 
 
Tillotama, who essayed the role of the house Alice in Mira Nair's 'Monsoon Wedding', was Gera's choice for protagonist Ratna for several reasons, however, the director was a little sceptical over getting a positive reply from her initially. Recalling the thought, she says, "Tillotama is a wonderful actress. She's also extremely hardworking and sincere. 'Monsoon Wedding' was a big fear for me because I was afraid she would reject the film in order to not be typecast. But, she read the script, liked the role and wrote back, sounding all excited.&nbsp; 
 
"I think she's the right person for the film because the portrayal of Ratna is a complex one. She's a happy character, but she's not a stupid-happy character. She's an optimistic person but she's had a tough life. There's a level of complexity that Tillotama can bring to a role, where she maintains a dignity required by the character.", she adds 
 
When it comes to sensitive issues, there's a risk of misrepresentation that a maker might face. On being asked if she feared misappropriating the class-difference, Gera answers, "She's convincing as a domestic worker. Tillotama is very sensitive to misrepresentation and careful about misappropriation.&nbsp;For me, it's about being sensitive while writing. I've written the film quite carefully so as to not talk down in any way to the character." 
 
Elaborating on the same lines with a gendered example, Gera feels that its similar issue for women's character to be written from a woman's perspective. She says "It so happens that there are times when there are men writing women's characters. Someone asked me about the idea of Cinderella yesterday if I was writing an anti-Cinderella story. But, Cinderella never entered my mind, I'm a woman writing about a woman. I'm not waiting for somebody to come and save her." 
 
"The fundamental structure of a man saving a woman has not come from a woman writer. Along the way, who wrote those fairy-tales. those stories?" she asks.&nbsp; 
 
The onset of the pandemic and shutting down of cinema halls has seen a larger chunk of production houses and independent films move to streaming platforms. Countering the perception of festival films are meant for a niche audience, Gera wants 'Sir' to reach a larger audience, the people it's actually meant for. 
 
&nbsp;She feels that when a film directly goes to a streamer, its relation with the audience is mediated.&nbsp; "I have been fighting for the film to not just be shown to a selective, subscriber-based audience of OTT platforms. I wanted it to be released for a larger theatre audience, where people choose to go and see a film and not just stumble upon it while scrolling. I want to face the feedback, to see if the audience get what I was trying to convey or not. Which is a bit difficult from the privilege, targetted audience", she adds. 
 
Gera, now out with her maiden feature film has already started working on her next project. "There's a silver lining of COVID. Once the release got pushed and I flew back to France, to be with my family. I had enough time to start working on a new project." she quips. 
 
However, she is quick to add, "After international recognition, you have constant doubt, self-censorship if your next will be good enough. There's a certain expectation attached to you, which you try and fulfil." 
 
'Sir' is among the top&nbsp;5 highest-grossing Indian films&nbsp;released&nbsp;theatrically in France including 'Salaam Bombay' and 'The&nbsp;Lunchbox'.&nbsp;The film has released theatrically in more than 25 countries across the world and has garnered critical acclaim and popular success.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rohena Gera’s internationally acclaimed debut feature, ‘Sir’ is in the theatres for a post-pandemic release. The film, starring Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni had its World Premiere at the 71st International Cannes Film Festival, in 2018, in the Critics Week competition section making Rohena Gera the first woman filmmaker to bag Gan Foundation Award for distribution.

Rohena Gera’s internationally acclaimed debut feature, ‘Sir’ is in the theatres for a post-pandemic release. The film, starring Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni had its World Premiere at the 71st International Cannes Film Festival, in 2018, in the Critics Week competition section making Rohena Gera the first woman filmmaker to bag Gan Foundation Award for distribution. Talking about the delay in the release of the film, the director, tells WION, "I made the film for India and then it had a crazy international response, from where it got picked up for distribution in many other countries. I got busy travelling and wanted to give proper time to its India release." The film initially aimed for a March 20 release this year, however, the pandemic followed by a nation-wide lockdown forced its release to shift to November 13. "It's finally out and I hope the government keeps the theatres open till then," quips Rohena. Before 'Sir', Rohena directed a documentary, 'What's Love Got to Do?', a piece that questioned the idea of arranged marriages. On the concept of the docu-film, Rohena says, "I love love-stories. Films that question the idea of love-stories in urban spaces. People like us, urban people, would watch all kind of love-stories but still opt for arranging marriages.' What's Love' raised a basic question, is love more important or is the arrangement more important." Carrying on her love for romantic stories, Gera says, "In this film when you say is love enough, it's really about if love can overcome barriers. The film really appeals to the best in us." The director has a really interesting way to look at romance and calls love 'an equaliser'. "What I love about love-stories is that when you are in love with a person you automatically sees the other person's point of view. When you fall in love with a person different from you, you get an exposure to see the world from a completely different perspective. There's real beauty in that idea of enriching your life through a love story." Produced by Inkpot Films (Brice Poisson and Rohena Gera), and co-produced by Ciné-Sud Promotion, the film is a story of a Marathi widowed domestic worker who finds a complicated romantic spark with her recently single employer who’s just returned from the US after breaking off his engagement. Speaking about the birth of the film, Gera elaborates, "We have a very intimate relationship with people who work at our homes, they know almost all our life's details, yet there's a distance with which we treat them. This is something that has always bothered me. I wanted to make a film that could address the class-difference, without being preachy." So what made her turn to a love-story? The director answers, "Probably because of 'What's love' and working on the idea of love, I decided to approach this difference through a love story. In a love-story, two people are pretty much equal. However rich or poor you may be, if a person you love, doesn't love you back, it doesn't matter what you have in your bank account. So, I thought it was a nice way to make each character equal and then to explore what is the barrier actually. Love-story was a way to approach the class difference in a gentle way. " Tillotama, who essayed the role of the house Alice in Mira Nair's 'Monsoon Wedding', was Gera's choice for protagonist Ratna for several reasons, however, the director was a little sceptical over getting a positive reply from her initially. Recalling the thought, she says, "Tillotama is a wonderful actress. She's also extremely hardworking and sincere. 'Monsoon Wedding' was a big fear for me because I was afraid she would reject the film in order to not be typecast. But, she read the script, liked the role and wrote back, sounding all excited. "I think she's the right person for the film because the portrayal of Ratna is a complex one. She's a happy character, but she's not a stupid-happy character. She's an optimistic person but she's had a tough life. There's a level of complexity that Tillotama can bring to a role, where she maintains a dignity required by the character.", she adds When it comes to sensitive issues, there's a risk of misrepresentation that a maker might face. On being asked if she feared misappropriating the class-difference, Gera answers, "She's convincing as a domestic worker. Tillotama is very sensitive to misrepresentation and careful about misappropriation. For me, it's about being sensitive while writing. I've written the film quite carefully so as to not talk down in any way to the character." Elaborating on the same lines with a gendered example, Gera feels that its similar issue for women's character to be written from a woman's perspective. She says "It so happens that there are times when there are men writing women's characters. Someone asked me about the idea of Cinderella yesterday if I was writing an anti-Cinderella story. But, Cinderella never entered my mind, I'm a woman writing about a woman. I'm not waiting for somebody to come and save her." "The fundamental structure of a man saving a woman has not come from a woman writer. Along the way, who wrote those fairy-tales. those stories?" she asks. The onset of the pandemic and shutting down of cinema halls has seen a larger chunk of production houses and independent films move to streaming platforms. Countering the perception of festival films are meant for a niche audience, Gera wants 'Sir' to reach a larger audience, the people it's actually meant for. She feels that when a film directly goes to a streamer, its relation with the audience is mediated. "I have been fighting for the film to not just be shown to a selective, subscriber-based audience of OTT platforms. I wanted it to be released for a larger theatre audience, where people choose to go and see a film and not just stumble upon it while scrolling. I want to face the feedback, to see if the audience get what I was trying to convey or not. Which is a bit difficult from the privilege, targetted audience", she adds. Gera, now out with her maiden feature film has already started working on her next project. "There's a silver lining of COVID. Once the release got pushed and I flew back to France, to be with my family. I had enough time to start working on a new project." she quips. However, she is quick to add, "After international recognition, you have constant doubt, self-censorship if your next will be good enough. There's a certain expectation attached to you, which you try and fulfil." 'Sir' is among the top 5 highest-grossing Indian films released theatrically in France including 'Salaam Bombay' and 'The Lunchbox'. The film has released theatrically in more than 25 countries across the world and has garnered critical acclaim and popular success.

I was afraid Tillotama Shome might refuse 'Sir' because of 'Monsoon Wedding': Director Rohena Gera

Filmmaker Rohena Gera’s internationally acclaimed debut feature, ‘Is Love Enough? SIR' starring Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Marathi actress Geetanjali Kulkarni is slated for Pan-India theatrical release on 20th March 2020.

The film had its World Premiere at the 71st International Cannes Film Festival, in the critics week competition section making Rohena Gera the first woman filmmaker to bag Gan Foundation Award for distribution.

The first look poster of the film was launched on Thursday.

Produced by Inkpot Films and co-produced by Ciné-Sud Promotion, the film is a story of a Marathi widowed domestic worker played by Tillotama Shome who finds a complicated romantic spark with her recently single employer Ashwin (Vivek Gomber), who’s just returned from the US after breaking off his engagement.&nbsp;

The film has travelled to nearly 45 international and Indian festivals including AFI Fest Los Angeles, São Paulo International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival and has won 16 awards including, Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director &amp; Audience choice awards.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I feel very emotional to share this news. PVR Pictures will release our film <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SIR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SIR</a> on March 20. My heartfelt love to our director <a href="https://twitter.com/RohenaGera?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RohenaGera</a> , producer <a href="https://twitter.com/BricePoisson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BricePoisson</a> and my incredible co actors <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vivekgomber?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vivekgomber</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/getkul?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@getkul</a> . Your love would mean the world to us♥️ <a href="https://t.co/5HXDzDsWr1">pic.twitter.com/5HXDzDsWr1</a>
— Tillotama Shome (@TillotamaShome) <a href="https://twitter.com/TillotamaShome/status/1232925586693160960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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'Is Love Enough? SIR' is among the top 5 highest-grossing Indian films released theatrically in France which include films like 'Salaam Bombay' and 'The Lunchbox'. The film is theatrically released or sold in nearly 30 countries across the world and garnered critical acclaim and popular success.

The writer-director-producer, Rohena Gera, who is absolutely thrilled to bring the film to her home country says, “ The film is about fighting for a dream, and the film has become my dream come true. &nbsp;To have my first film in Cannes, and then to have it travel around the world from Brazil to Japan to Hungary to Israel… it’s beyond what I would have dared to dream. &nbsp;But that said, I made the film for India. &nbsp;It is an Indian story, it is about us. The fact that people abroad connected to it is a bonus. &nbsp;What I am so excited (and nervous) about is to see how people at home feel.”

&nbsp;"I have been really lucky to have had the support of a wonderful crew and amazing cast, especially Tillotama, Vivek and Geetanjali who breathed life into the characters and made them shine.

Tillotama Shome who plays Ratna, the Marathi domestic help in the film says, “SIR has had a dream run in the international film festival circuit, starting with Cannes and a spate of international releases. However, we were often asked in those countries, how the film was received in India and now we are excited we will finally have the answer. It both fills my heart with joy but also makes me nervous.”

Talking about her preparation for the role, she adds, “It was a wonderful challenge to bring to life the delicate negotiations within Rohena's script with my wonderful co-actors Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni. The subject matter of the film is so delicate that it was extremely nerve-racking and yet it is also what made it so rewarding. I had to learn Marathi for a few scenes. The effort to learn the language made me fall in love with Bombay a little more.”

Filmmaker Rohena Gera’s internationally acclaimed debut feature, ‘Is Love Enough? SIR' starring Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Marathi actress Geetanjali Kulkarni is slated for Pan-India theatrical release on 20th March 2020.

Filmmaker Rohena Gera’s internationally acclaimed debut feature, ‘Is Love Enough? SIR' starring Tillotama Shome, Vivek Gomber and Marathi actress Geetanjali Kulkarni is slated for Pan-India theatrical release on 20th March 2020. The film had its World Premiere at the 71st International Cannes Film Festival, in the critics week competition section making Rohena Gera the first woman filmmaker to bag Gan Foundation Award for distribution. The first look poster of the film was launched on Thursday. Produced by Inkpot Films and co-produced by Ciné-Sud Promotion, the film is a story of a Marathi widowed domestic worker played by Tillotama Shome who finds a complicated romantic spark with her recently single employer Ashwin (Vivek Gomber), who’s just returned from the US after breaking off his engagement. The film has travelled to nearly 45 international and Indian festivals including AFI Fest Los Angeles, São Paulo International Film Festival, Beijing International Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival and has won 16 awards including, Best Film, Best Actress, Best Director & Audience choice awards. I feel very emotional to share this news. PVR Pictures will release our film #SIR on March 20. My heartfelt love to our director @RohenaGera , producer @BricePoisson and my incredible co actors #vivekgomber @getkul . Your love would mean the world to us♥️ pic.twitter.com/5HXDzDsWr1 — Tillotama Shome (@TillotamaShome) February 27, 2020 × 'Is Love Enough? SIR' is among the top 5 highest-grossing Indian films released theatrically in France which include films like 'Salaam Bombay' and 'The Lunchbox'. The film is theatrically released or sold in nearly 30 countries across the world and garnered critical acclaim and popular success. The writer-director-producer, Rohena Gera, who is absolutely thrilled to bring the film to her home country says, “ The film is about fighting for a dream, and the film has become my dream come true. To have my first film in Cannes, and then to have it travel around the world from Brazil to Japan to Hungary to Israel… it’s beyond what I would have dared to dream. But that said, I made the film for India. It is an Indian story, it is about us. The fact that people abroad connected to it is a bonus. What I am so excited (and nervous) about is to see how people at home feel.” "I have been really lucky to have had the support of a wonderful crew and amazing cast, especially Tillotama, Vivek and Geetanjali who breathed life into the characters and made them shine. Tillotama Shome who plays Ratna, the Marathi domestic help in the film says, “SIR has had a dream run in the international film festival circuit, starting with Cannes and a spate of international releases. However, we were often asked in those countries, how the film was received in India and now we are excited we will finally have the answer. It both fills my heart with joy but also makes me nervous.” Talking about her preparation for the role, she adds, “It was a wonderful challenge to bring to life the delicate negotiations within Rohena's script with my wonderful co-actors Vivek Gomber and Geetanjali Kulkarni. The subject matter of the film is so delicate that it was extremely nerve-racking and yet it is also what made it so rewarding. I had to learn Marathi for a few scenes. The effort to learn the language made me fall in love with Bombay a little more.”

'SIR': Rohena Gera's  Cannes Critic’s Week winning film to release in India on this day

Indian scriptwriter-director Rohena Gera's "Sir", a love story set against the backdrop of a class divide and starring actor Tillotama Shome in the lead, has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival's the Critics' Week sidebar.

The movie is among the seven films selected for the feature competition category of the sidebar, which opens with Paul Dano's feature directorial debut "Wildlife" and closes with Alex Lutz's "Guy". Both of these films are out of the competition categories and are billed as Special Screenings Features. Among the seven films competing are five from first-time directors.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-cannes-2018-nandita-das-manto-featuring-nawazuddin-siddiqui-selected-in-un-certain-regard-segment-130165">Also Read:&nbsp;Cannes 2018: Nandita Das' 'Manto' featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui selected in Un Certain Regard segment</a>

Gera's film was first announced at Goa's Film Bazaar in 2016 and revolves around the relationship between a middle-class man and his maid, reported a website.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-netflix-to-pull-all-movies-from-cannes-film-festival-129992">Also Read:&nbsp;Netflix to pull out all movies from Cannes film festival</a>

The film is in the race to win the Grand Prix nespresso award in the sidebar, whose jury is headed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-to-participate-in-cannes-film-festival-this-year-129749">Also Read:&nbsp;Saudi Arabia to participate in Cannes Film Festival this year</a>

It is a love story set against the backdrop of a class divide starring actor Tillotama Shome in the lead.

Indian scriptwriter-director Rohena Gera's "Sir", a love story set against the backdrop of a class divide and starring actor Tillotama Shome in the lead, has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival's the Critics' Week sidebar. The movie is among the seven films selected for the feature competition category of the sidebar, which opens with Paul Dano's feature directorial debut "Wildlife" and closes with Alex Lutz's "Guy". Both of these films are out of the competition categories and are billed as Special Screenings Features. Among the seven films competing are five from first-time directors. Also Read: Cannes 2018: Nandita Das' 'Manto' featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui selected in Un Certain Regard segment Gera's film was first announced at Goa's Film Bazaar in 2016 and revolves around the relationship between a middle-class man and his maid, reported a website. Also Read: Netflix to pull out all movies from Cannes film festival The film is in the race to win the Grand Prix nespresso award in the sidebar, whose jury is headed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier Also Read: Saudi Arabia to participate in Cannes Film Festival this year

Tillotama Shome's film 'Sir' selected for Cannes Critics' Week

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'SIR': Rohena Gera's Cannes Critic’s Week winning film to release in India on this day

Tillotama Shome's film 'Sir' selected for Cannes Critics' Week