A panel comprising former Patna High Court judge Anjana Prakash, ex-Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, economist Jean Drèze, sociologist Nandini Sundar, former A N Sinha Institute director D. M. Diwakar, and Forward Press founder Bhanwar Meghwanshi heard testimonies from participants across 14 districts. Many shared distressing experiences with the SIR process, including illiterate voters being forced to pay around ₹100 per form for assistance, and several people reporting that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) submitted forms on their behalf without signatures or consent.

 

Residents such as Kanchan Devi and Rukma Devi from Katihar said they were charged money to get forms filled. Ram Chandra Prasad of Nalanda mentioned that he would take legal action after not receiving an acknowledgment slip post-submission. Phool Kumari Devi, a labourer, narrated how she sold her food rations to afford a passport photo and went hungry for two days while collecting documents required by BLOs. Several voters stated they were misinformed or not contacted by BLOs at all, with forms instead distributed by ward members, Anganwadi workers, or even sanitation staff. In flood-prone areas like the Kosi region, many people said their documents had been destroyed.

 

Jean Drèze, after hearing the testimonies, questioned the purpose of the SIR, stating that even after reading the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) 20-page notification, its objective remained unclear. However, he warned that its outcome could disenfranchise a large section of voters. He cited a survey by Bharat Jodo Abhiyan that showed 37% of people lacked the necessary documents. Drèze strongly argued for scrapping the SIR, calling it unfeasible and damaging to the integrity of the voter list.

 

Anjana Prakash observed that many rural citizens would struggle to meet the document requirements, while Wajahat Habibullah criticised the ECI for placing unnecessary burdens on voters instead of facilitating participation. Meghwanshi called the process a direct threat to the Constitution’s promise of political equality, and Professor Diwakar warned that democracy is slipping away from the people. Nandini Sundar echoed these concerns, calling the SIR “dangerous for democracy” and urging authorities to listen to the public outcry.