Mamata Banerjee Warns of Potential Deletion of 1.2 Crore Voter Names in West Bengal
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Kolkata, Feb 25 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, raised alarms on Wednesday regarding the potential deletion of approximately 1.20 crore names from the state's electoral rolls amidst the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR).
While speaking to constituents in Bhabanipur, located in south Kolkata, she accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of flagging a significant number of voters under the classification of “logical discrepancy” cases.
“The ECI intends to remove such a vast amount of names after categorizing them as logical discrepancies. The revision process is ongoing, and it pains me. Initially, over 58 lakh names were eliminated from the draft voters’ list released last December. Now, the deletion process continues as names are flagged for logical discrepancies. I fear that by the conclusion of the SIR, a total of 1.20 crore voters’ names will be erased. I have taken this issue to the Supreme Court, and my battle continues,” Banerjee stated.
She claimed that the names of authentic voters from various communities are being removed.
“My prayer is for the preservation of the democratic rights of the populace. I oppose the removal of names and am concerned for those whose names might be deleted. It has come to my attention that even voters with valid identification are at risk of having their names removed,” she added.
According to officials, logical discrepancy cases arise from irregularities found in family tree data during the “progeny mapping” phase.
The current timeline indicates that the final electoral rolls for West Bengal are scheduled for publication on February 28.
However, given that legal proceedings are ongoing concerning the documentation of over 50 lakh voters marked under logical discrepancies, supplementary electoral rolls may be disclosed subsequent to the final list's release.
During her address, the Chief Minister also underscored the tradition of communal harmony in the state.
“From an early age, we are taught the values of all religions,” she remarked.
She referred to Bhabanipur as a “mini-India,” where individuals from diverse regions coexist peacefully.