27L purged from Bengal rolls, Muslim, Matua belts hit most
What's the story
A total of 27 lakh voters have been removed from the electoral rolls in West Bengal after post-SIR judicial adjudication. The highest number of deletions was reported in the Shamsherganj and Lalgola constituencies in Murshidabad, which is a Muslim-majority district. In Shamsherganj, 74,775 out of 1,08,400 names under adjudication were deleted, while in Lalgola, 55,420 out of 99,082 names were struck off, The Times of India reported.
Additional purges
Major deletions recorded in Malda, Birbhum, North Dinajpur
Apart from Murshidabad, major deletions were also recorded in Malda, North Dinajpur, South 24-Parganas, and Birbhum districts. The Matua-dominant areas of North 24-Parganas and Nadia also witnessed voter removals. The electoral rolls for the second phase of voting on April 29 have been frozen, barring any further changes until after the elections.
Unrest escalates
Protests over mass voter deletions turned violent
In Malda's Mothabari, protests over mass voter deletions turned violent on April 1. The protests resulted in road blockades, clashes with security personnel, and judicial officers being gheraoed for hours. More than 37,000 out of 79,683 names under adjudication in Mothabari were deleted from the rolls. In Krishnanagar North and South, Ranaghat North West and Ranaghat North East, and Ranaghat South, over 90% of those placed under adjudication were removed.
Political response
BJP members say will help affected voters
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been vocal about what she calls "targeted exclusions." Sukesh Chowdhury, secretary of the All India Matua Mahasangha, said mass exclusion from the voters' list had fueled anxiety within their community. He added that CM Banerjee's promise of legal support was reassuring. BJP's Bongaon unit member Bikash Ghosh said affected voters would be helped in approaching tribunals for restoration of their names.
Electoral impact
Minor deletions reported in high-profile constituencies
In Bhowanipore and Nandigram, two high-profile constituencies, deletions were below the state average. In Bhowanipore, 27.5% of names under adjudication were removed, while in Nandigram, 32.6% were excluded. However, Manbazar and Onda in Purulia reported only minor deletions, with just 71 out of 2,771 names under adjudication being struck off in Manbazar and a mere 1% deletion in Onda.