In an interview on India First, BJP National General Secretary and former Union Minister Smriti Irani strongly rejected allegations directed at the Election Commission of India and dismissed the protests spearheaded by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Irani asserted that the opposition's ongoing agitation is primarily aimed at achieving regime change rather than ensuring electoral transparency, emphasizing that political groups should instead focus on fighting elections through democratic channels.
Addressing claims concerning thirteen crore voters during the Special Summary Revision process, Irani explained that ninety percent of the total ninety crore voters have already been verified. She noted that nearly twenty lakh booth-level agents representing all political parties have been actively involved in the exercise.
Irani further clarified the breakdown of flagged entries, pointing out that the numbers included three crore deceased individuals, six crore people who have shifted locations, one crore duplicate records, and three crore untraceable individuals. Questioning the narrative pushed by the Congress leadership, she highlighted that the opposition has successfully won elections in several states—including Kerala, Telangana, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka—under the exact same electoral framework.