Passport Blocked, Vote Deleted: EGI Backs Rajagopal

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

June 28, 2026 | New Delhi-In a strongly worded statement that raises serious questions about bureaucratic accountability and the functioning of India’s citizenship verification mechanisms, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Sunday condemned the treatment meted out to veteran journalist and former The Telegraph Editor R. Rajagopal, describing his ordeal as a disturbing example of administrative overreach.

The Guild said Rajagopal, who spent decades in public life as one of India’s most respected editors, now finds himself caught in a bureaucratic maze after allegedly being stripped of his voting rights and denied passport renewal for more than 100 days.

According to the EGI, Rajagopal’s name was deleted from the electoral rolls, leading to an alleged “adverse report” by the Kolkata Police during passport verification.

Ironically, the police reportedly declined verification because his name no longer appeared on the voters’ list a development the Guild termed both baffling and alarming, considering Rajagopal’s long and distinguished public career.

The Editors Guild warned that the episode exposes the human cost of the Election Commission of India’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which it said has left millions vulnerable to arbitrary disenfranchisement.

“If this can happen to someone as widely known and publicly identifiable as Mr. R. Rajagopal, one can only imagine the plight of countless ordinary citizens who lack the visibility and influence to seek justice,” the Guild said.

The organisation expressed concern that the removal of names from electoral rolls is now having cascading consequences beyond the right to vote, affecting access to essential identity documents such as passports and raising broader questions about due process and administrative fairness.

Calling for immediate corrective action, the Editors Guild urged the Election Commission to “display common sens and sympathy” by restoring Rajagopal’s status as a voter without further delay.

It also appealed for similar relief to all citizens who may have suffered comparable hardships owing to bureaucratic errors during the electoral revision exercise.

The case is expected to intensify scrutiny over the implementation of the Special Intensive Revision process, with civil society groups and press freedom advocates likely to view Rajagopal’s experience as a stark reminder of how administrative decisions can profoundly affect fundamental civic rights.