Elections – Mamata Banerjee Accuses Voter List Changes of Dividing Bengal
Elections – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the ongoing revision of electoral rolls of creating divisions within the state. Speaking during a protest in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress leader alleged that the deletion of voter names from the electoral list was not a routine administrative process but a move that could affect the political landscape ahead of upcoming elections.
Banerjee addressed supporters while continuing a sit-in demonstration for the second day at Metro Channel in central Kolkata. The protest began on Friday and continued overnight, with the chief minister remaining at the venue along with senior party leaders and workers.
Allegations of Voter Disenfranchisement
During her address, Banerjee claimed that the revision of the voter list had disproportionately affected Bengali-speaking residents. According to her, several eligible voters were being removed from the electoral roll without sufficient justification.
She also alleged that people from West Bengal were facing harassment in other states because of their linguistic identity. Banerjee argued that these developments were part of a broader effort to weaken the participation of Bengali voters in the electoral process.
The chief minister stated that safeguarding voting rights was essential to preserving democratic principles. She maintained that every legitimate voter should have the opportunity to participate in elections without fear of exclusion.
Protest Continues at Central Kolkata
The demonstration began on Friday afternoon and quickly drew the presence of Trinamool Congress leaders, ministers, and legislators. By evening, the busy Esplanade area had effectively turned into a temporary political gathering point as party supporters assembled to express solidarity with the protest.
Banerjee spent the night at the site, highlighting the seriousness with which her party views the issue. Party workers and leaders remained at the location throughout the night, while more supporters joined the protest the following morning.
Addressing the crowd earlier on Friday, the chief minister said the voter list revision carried out under the Special Intensive Revision process had resulted in the removal of many genuine voters. She argued that such deletions raised questions about the transparency and accuracy of the process.
Claims of Incorrectly Marked Voters
Banerjee further claimed that some voters had been incorrectly categorized as deceased during the revision exercise. According to her, individuals who are still alive had allegedly found their names removed from the electoral rolls.
She said that her government and party would present such cases before the media and the Election Commission to highlight what she described as serious errors in the voter verification process.
The chief minister argued that any mistakes in the voter list could influence election outcomes, particularly in a politically competitive state like West Bengal. She insisted that correcting such errors was necessary to ensure fair elections.
Political Tensions Rise Ahead of Elections
The protest has come at a time when political tensions in the state are already high ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The Election Commission is expected to send a full bench to West Bengal in the coming days to review the situation related to the electoral roll revision.
The Special Intensive Revision exercise, which began in November last year, has led to significant changes in the voter database. According to official figures released on February 28, around 63.66 lakh voter names have been removed from the electoral rolls so far.
This accounts for approximately 8.3 percent of the state’s electorate. As a result, the number of registered voters in West Bengal has declined from about 7.66 crore to slightly above 7.04 crore.
Large Number of Voters Under Legal Review
Officials have also confirmed that more than 60 lakh voters have been placed under the “under adjudication” category. This classification means that their eligibility to vote will be determined through a legal verification process in the coming weeks.
The outcome of this review could further influence electoral dynamics across several constituencies in the state. Political parties are closely monitoring the situation, as even small changes in voter numbers can affect the results in tightly contested seats.
As the Election Commission prepares to review the matter during its upcoming visit, the debate surrounding the electoral roll revision is likely to remain a central political issue in West Bengal in the weeks ahead.