Muhammad Daud Ali, a former Indian army technician, recently discovered that he was no longer a voter in his home state of West Bengal. His name - and those of his three children - had been struck off the electoral rolls despite valid documents, including his passport and service records. Only his wife remained on the list.
Ali, 65, and his children are among nine million voters - about 12% of West Bengal's 76 million electorate - who have been removed from the 2026 rolls as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Voting to elect a new state government will take place later this month in this eastern Indian state.
Of these nine million, more than six million names were struck off as absentee or deceased voters, while the fate of another 2.7 million - including families like Ali's - remains undecided and will be determined by tribunals.
The SIR process has been implemented in 13 states and federally-administered territories so far, but West Bengal is unique due to the additional layer of special adjudication applied.
The Election Commission claims this revision aims to cleanse the voter list of duplicates or outdated entries and add genuine voters. However, it has become contentious, especially in West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC) is embroiled in a standoff with the poll body.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has stated the goal is to ensure a pure electoral roll, but tensions have intensified with allegations from political leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, suggesting that the cleanup targets illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, fueling fears that Muslims are disproportionately affected. While many Hindu voters have also been removed, the debate is particularly sharp due to West Bengal's significant Muslim population.
The deletions have sparked protests and concerns over voter rights as approximately 65% of the remaining 2.7 million uncertain voters are said to be Muslims, contrasting with their population share in the state. With elections fast approaching, many like Ali feel sidelined, as they must navigate a tribunal process to reclaim their voting rights amid uncertainty and fear of exclusion.
Political scientist Sibaji Pratim Basu expressed that the exclusion of millions during elections is an absurd proposition and a shame for democracy. Federal minister Sukanta Majumdar has justified the revisions as essential for national interest, stating the protection of voting rights for legitimate citizens.
This issue remains pivotal for the future of West Bengal as it grapples with the implications of disenfranchising a substantial portion of its population amidst a highly polarized political landscape.
