58 Lakh voter names deleted in Bengal draft SIR ahead of elections. Dead, missing and relocated voters flagged, triggering strong reactions from Mamata Banerjee, TMC and BJP.
A major political controversy has erupted in West Bengal after 58 lakh voter names were removed from the draft electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision, also known as Bengal Draft SIR. The development has come just months before the Assembly elections and is already creating strong reactions across the political spectrum.
According to the Election Commission’s draft list, out of the 58 lakh deleted names, 24 lakh voters have been marked as dead. Around 19 lakh names were removed as people who have relocated, 12 lakh were listed as missing, and nearly 1.3 lakh were identified as duplicate entries. The exercise was carried out to clean the voter list and remove errors.
The release of this draft voter list marks the end of the first phase of Bengal Draft SIR. Officials have clarified that voters whose names have been wrongly removed can now file objections and seek corrections. After resolving all claims and objections, the final voter list will be published in February next year. Only after that, the schedule for the Bengal Assembly elections is expected to be announced. The last time such a revision was carried out in the state was back in 2002.
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy strongly criticised the deletion of such a large number of voters. Calling it unfair, he said, “This is the BJP’s conspiracy to remove legitimate voters from Bengal’s list. We have set up voter assistance booths and we will help them submit forms to include their names in the voter list.” His remarks underline the fear within the ruling party that genuine voters may lose their right to vote.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also openly opposed Bengal Draft SIR. She has accused the Centre and the Election Commission of misusing the revision process to remove lakhs of eligible voters before the election. Her party believes that the move is politically motivated and could impact the democratic rights of ordinary citizens.
Earlier this month, Mamata Banerjee addressed a rally in Krishnanagar and urged people to protest if their names were deleted. She said, “You will snatch the rights of mothers and sisters in the name of SIR? They will bring police from Delhi during the election and intimidate mothers and sisters. Mothers and sisters, if your names are struck off, you have the tools, right? The tools you use during cooking. You have strength, right? You won’t let it pass if your names are cut, right? The women will fight in the front, and the men will be behind them.”
On the other hand, the BJP has defended the exercise and accused Mamata Banerjee of trying to protect illegal voters. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the Trinamool Congress is worried about losing power. He said, “Mamata Banerjee is creating a ruckus as she fears losing power since the deceased, fake and illegal voters are being removed. Trinamool only has a difference of 22 lakh votes with BJP.”
The issue of Bengal Draft SIR has already deepened political tensions in the state. Earlier, Trinamool Congress had also targeted the Election Commission over reports of Booth Level Officers facing extreme work pressure. With emotions running high and elections approaching, the revised voter list is likely to remain one of the biggest flashpoints in Bengal politics in the coming months.
