Up to 15 million names may be deleted from SIR voter list, claims Dilip Ghosh

Political tensions escalated ahead of the publication of the final SIR voter list after BJP leader Dilip Ghosh claimed that nearly 15 million (1.5 crore) names could be deleted from the electoral rolls in the state. His remarks come amid an ongoing controversy over the SIR process and concerns raised by opposition parties regarding large-scale deletions.

According to Ghosh, around 5.8 million names have already been removed from the draft list. He further stated that nearly 5 million individuals who were summoned for hearings did not appear, which could lead to additional deletions. He also claimed that approximately 3.5 million names are currently under scrutiny due to what he described as “logical discrepancies” or data inconsistencies, potentially taking the total number of deletions to around 15 million.

Referring to recent remarks by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had expressed apprehension that about 12 million names might be struck off, Ghosh said this supports the figures earlier cited by the BJP. He alleged that the Trinamool Congress had attempted to obstruct the SIR process by creating confusion, exerting pressure on the Election Commission, and approaching the courts, but those efforts were unsuccessful.

On the political implications of such large-scale deletions, Ghosh claimed that the opposition could benefit. He alleged that in certain constituencies represented by influential Trinamool leaders, an average of 70,000 names have been removed, amounting to 20 to 25 percent of the electorate, potentially impacting established vote banks.

Ghosh also expressed concern over possible pre-election violence, alleging increased attacks on BJP workers and reiterating the demand for deployment of central forces to ensure a fair and peaceful election. The SIR process continues to divide political opinion, with the Trinamool Congress calling it a threat to voters’ rights and the BJP defending it as a necessary exercise to purify the voter list. The final publication is expected to clarify the actual scale of deletions.