Disproportionate Voter Deletions in Nandigram Raise Concerns Ahead of Elections

Q: What percentage of the removed voters in Nandigram are Muslims?

**95.5%** of the removed voters are Muslims.

Q: What is the deadline for voters to appeal their deletions?

Voters have until **3 PM on April 6** to appeal their deletions.

Original: Around 95% of voters removed after Bengal SIR in Nandigram are Muslims, shows data

Hindustan Times•Apr 7, 20263 min

In a Nutshell

In Nandigram, West Bengal, 95.5% of voters removed from the electoral rolls are Muslims, despite them constituting only 25% of the population. This significant discrepancy has raised questions about the voter deletion process, especially with assembly elections approaching on April 23. Political leaders have exchanged accusations regarding the integrity of the electoral process.

Key Points

01Muslims account for 95.5% of voter deletions in Nandigram, despite being 25% of the population.
02The data was analyzed by the Sabar Institute, revealing significant disparities in voter roll removals.
03Political leaders are divided, with Mamata Banerjee alleging irregularities and Sukanta Majumdar defending the deletions as necessary.
04Voters have until 3 PM on April 6 to appeal their deletions before the assembly elections.
05Nandigram is a politically sensitive area, having witnessed a narrow election loss for Banerjee in 2021.

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Full Summary

Recent data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) reveals that 95.5% of voters removed from the electoral rolls in Nandigram, West Bengal, are Muslims, despite Muslims making up only 25% of the local population. This analysis by the Kolkata-based Sabar Institute highlights a significant disparity in voter deletions across seven supplementary lists, where Muslim removals range from 60.9% to 98.7% in six lists. The only exception was list 4a, which recorded 100% deletions of non-Muslim women. The findings raise concerns regarding the criteria used for deletions and the potential political implications as Nandigram prepares for assembly elections on April 23. Political leaders are trading accusations, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging that the deletions are politically motivated, while Sukanta Majumdar claims they are necessary for maintaining electoral integrity. Voters whose names were deleted can appeal until 3 PM on April 6, just before the electoral rolls are frozen. The situation in Nandigram is particularly sensitive, as it was the site of a narrow election loss for Banerjee in the previous assembly elections.