Civil society activists, including former Election Commissioners, have expressed serious concerns about the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which they argue is weakening democracy. During a discussion on May 14, 2026, transparency rights activist Anjali Bharadwaj highlighted that 27 lakh individuals in West Bengal were left out of the electoral rolls, many of whom possess valid identification. She emphasized that the Supreme Court has advised these individuals to wait for future elections to vote, raising questions about the fairness of the current electoral process. Harsh Mander, a bureaucrat-turned-activist, claimed that the elections are not free and fair, alleging open electoral fraud in West Bengal. Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa criticized the ECI for not providing clear data on the number of individuals excluded under the SIR and questioned the Supreme Court's lack of intervention despite mass deletions. The activists also debated the implications of the proposed 'One Nation, One Election' policy, expressing doubts about its potential to strengthen democracy given the unique circumstances of each state.