West Bengal SIR: Over 22 lakh excluded voters filed appeals against exclusion from electoral roll
The Election Commission of India (EC) has informed the Supreme Court that over 2.2 million voters, excluded from West Bengal's electoral roll during a Special Intensive Revision, have filed appeals challenging their deletion. This significant number represents a large portion of the 2.7 million voters initially purged due to 'logical discrepancies'.
Why it matters
This situation highlights potential issues with voter disenfranchisement and the integrity of electoral rolls in West Bengal, raising concerns about democratic fairness and the efficiency of the appeals process ahead of municipal polls.
A second affidavit filed by the Election Commission of India (EC) in the Supreme Court has revealed that over 22 lakh voters purged from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision exercise in West Bengal have filed appeals challenging their exclusion.
The number of voters challenging the deletion of their names from the electoral roll is significant as approximately 27 lakh voters were excluded on the ground of ‘logical discrepancies’.
This would mean that a lion’s share of the 27 lakh voters may be contesting their exclusion before 19 Appellate Tribunals constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court over six months ago.
The EC’s figure of 22,21,118 appeals by excluded voters is striking, particularly given that judicial officers, actively deployed during the SIR verification phase, have already adjudicated these claims and objections.
The EC’s affidavit said that 16.10 lakh appeals had been filed against inclusion.
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