‘Social audit of SIR data is important, reliance on AI dangerous’
With the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration form distribution exercise gathering pace in Telangana, relying solely on artificial intelligence to identify “discrepancies” in the draft
With the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration form distribution exercise gathering pace in Telangana, relying solely on artificial intelligence to identify “discrepancies” in the draft electoral rolls could lead to wrongful and large-scale exclusions, according to a researcher who studied the exercise in West Bengal. Human intervention is essential to correct errors flagged by AI systems, said Sabir Ahamed, lead at Kolkata-based public policy and research organisation Sabar Institute, on the sidelines of ‘SIR in Telangana: Data Cleansing vs. Social Welfare’ discussion organised by the Centre for Development Policy and Practice.An over-reliance on technology, in this case AI, can be a disaster,” he said, underscoring the opacity with which AI systems and algorithms have been functioning vis-a-vis the SIR.
Drawing on patterns observed in the 2026 draft electoral rolls in West Bengal, Mr Ahamed said unmapped voters largely affected marginalised Hindu communities. On the other hand, logical discrepancies, such as mismatches in spelling and electors having more than six siblings, became a “tool” for exclusion that was found to have affected Muslims disproportionately. Underscoring the contrasting trends, he said an analysis of the data showed that constituencies with a higher Muslim population had lower rates of unmapped voters. However, these very constituencies, despite having very low “unmapped” rates, recorded the highest number of cases that are under adjudication.
Explaining how Telangana can draw lessons from the West Bengal experience, Mr Ahamed said when notices are served and responses have to be filed, a one-size-fits-all approach is counterproductive. He said many electors who received notices in West Bengal sought the help of local cyber cafes, where they were provided with a template response. He also stressed that the social audit component is non-negotiable. “It is mandated by Election Commission that every list should be put out. It should be published at booth level, which is usually not happening.
The format must be accessible, searchable and readable, and should not be behind excessive security features.”
The BriefWire