However, opposition leaders from BJD and Congress disagreed and alleged that the SIR process has not been conducted with fairness and transparency in the country, leading to current unrest and chaos. 

"The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a necessary and constructive exercise to uphold the integrity of our electoral system. Its effective implementation, with fairness and due diligence, will help ensure that electoral records remain reliable and that the democratic process commands the confidence it deserves," Majhi wrote in an X post.

He said that the SIR is vital for ensuring that electoral rolls accurately reflect eligible voters. "It helps identify discrepancies, eliminate duplicate entries, update records following deaths or changes in residence, and ensure that eligible voters are not left out. Equally, the process must protect every legitimate voter from wrongful exclusion. These are not minor administrative details; they go to the heart of electoral fairness, equal representation and the sanctity of every vote." 

Mentioning that duplicate entries, outdated records and the names of deceased persons remaining on voter lists can compromise their accuracy, Majhi said, "Ensuring reliable electoral rolls is, therefore, not merely an administrative necessity, but essential to safeguarding electoral integrity and strengthening public confidence in democracy."

Following the alleged deletion of genuine voters during the SIR of electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India (ECI), nationwide protests have been conducted. Opposition parties alleged that around 14 crore voters' names have been eliminated from the voters' list who belonged to vulnerable and minority communities.

Senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said, "We are not saying SIR is not necessary, but only if it is done with fairness and transparency. Every year, electoral rolls have been corrected and those who are not eligible or have died get eliminated automatically; what was the need for an SIR?" 

Questioning the entry of fake voters, Acharya said, "The BJP has been in government for more than a decade and if fake or ineligible votes entered into the electoral roll, who is responsible for it? Fourteen crore fake voters is not a small number and more than 20 lakh in Odisha. Do they think people of India are fools?

Acharya recalled his college days and said, "The current situation in the country is no better than the emergency period. It was 52 years ago when I were in college when youngsters jumped into protest for protecting the democracy."

Congress MLA and leader of the Congress legislature party in the Assembly, Rama Chandra Kadam said, "BJP has killed democracy by doing this SIR and eliminating genuine voters. Deletion of names from the voters' list is a violation of the constitutional rights of people to vote. Congress will continue its protest till the democratic rights of people are restored."

Speaking on the SIR controversy, BJP state president Manmohan Samal said the opposition parties do not have valid arguments. "Naveen Patnaik is not sure where the confusion is. SIR was conducted repeatedly during the Congress government, but only once during the BJP tenure. Clarifications will be given on their doubts, but first they must know what the doubt is. Rahul Gandhi himself had said that electoral rolls needed to be revised. SIR did the same. Now, what is the problem?" he asked.