New Delhi, Oct 17 – The Election Commission is set to carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal ahead of the state’s assembly elections in March‑April 2024.
Political parties are already calling the SIR a political weapon. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) says the revision could let National Register of Citizens (NRC) rules creep in, and has warned that the state could see “rivers of blood” if the changes go ahead.
These fears follow comments from BJP‑MP Shantanu Thakur, who told reporters that up to 1.2 million “illegal voters” could be removed during the SIR. Thakur, a former political rival of TMC’s Mamata Thakur, is a prominent member of West Bengal’s Matua community – a scheduled‑caste group that migrated from Bangladesh after 1971.
The BJP has also raised concerns about foreigners on the voter list. Arjun Singh, a BJP leader, filed a letter to the Election Commission after a Pakistani woman from Karachi was discovered registered in the Naihati constituency. Local TMC MP Sanat Dey confirmed that the woman, Saleha Khatoon, is indeed Pakistani but is still a voter in India. A similar case involving a Pakistani named Azad Mullick, who voted in both the 2021 assembly poll and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.
West Bengal’s parliamentary and assembly battles often hinge on small margins, and a large minority vote bank – particularly Muslims who make up over 30 % of the state’s electorate – plays a decisive role. The area’s border districts, such as Murshidabad, Malda, and Nadia, have Muslim majorities that can swing results.
The TMC has built majorities by combining welfare schemes, strong local networks and outreach to Muslim voters. The BJP aims to erode this support by promoting a development‑driven narrative paired with identity politics. Meanwhile, the Left‑Congress alliance positions itself as a secular alternative for both minority and non‑minority voters.
With the SIR looming, the electoral rolls will undergo a thorough check. The Election Commission plans door‑to‑door verification to identify deceased, duplicate or foreign voters. The process will shape the final voter list for the 2024 assembly elections, affecting the political field and possibly the power balance in West Bengal.
Source: ianslive
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