Editors Guild Condemns Rights Denial of Former Editor R Rajagopal

The Editors Guild of India has strongly condemned the disenfranchisement of R Rajagopal, a prominent former editor of The Telegraph. Rajagopal reports his passport renewal was stalled after his name was removed from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise being conducted by the Election Commission of India. The incident has gained national attention, with opposition leaders and journalists expressing solidarity with the editor.

The SIR exercise, designed to verify electoral rolls against 2002 records, has sparked intense debate over the mass removal of voter names. With approximately 60 million names removed across 12 states, critics argue the process disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Rajagopal’s case—where a long-term Kolkata resident was removed without clear reasoning—has become a focal point for arguments that the revision is error-prone and potentially discriminatory.

The Kerala Chief Minister has reached out to the West Bengal government, urging intervention to resolve the passport renewal impasse caused by the police verification failure. As the Election Commission of India continues its nationwide exercise, the call for transparency and the restoration of fundamental rights for affected citizens grows louder. The case remains a significant litmus test for administrative accountability regarding the rights of public figures and ordinary citizens alike.