NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday accused the Election Commission of working on a "sinister design" to destroy democracy and opposition parties through the SIR exercise, and vowed to take to the streets by holding a protest rally at Ramleela Maidan here in the first week of December.

Upping the ante over its 'vote chori' pitch, the Congress said the poll body's conduct during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has been "deeply disappointing" as the exercise is aimed at deleting targeted votes and demanded that it must immediately demonstrate that it is not operating under the BJP's shadow.

AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal told reporters after the meeting that the Election Commission's motive is to destroy democracy and opposition parties, which has never happened in history.

"We are going to the streets. During the first week of December, the Congress party is organising a massive rally in Ramleela Maidan with lakhs of people attending it," he told reporters, adding that the Congress will expose the Election Commission by organising the protest event.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who chaired a meeting with key office-bearers from 12 states and Union Territories (UTs) where the SIR is underway, alleged that the BJP is attempting to "weaponise" the exercise of the electoral rolls process for "vote chori".

Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretaries participated in a review meeting with state unit chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 states and UTs where the SIR is underway.

The states and UTs are Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.

Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will go to the polls in 2026.

Phase-II of the SIR exercise began on November 4 with the enumeration stage and will continue till December 4.

"The Congress party is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral rolls," Kharge said on X after he chaired the meeting.