Mamata Banerjee Raises Alarm Over Massive Voter Deletions in West Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made serious allegations on Friday, stating that approximately 10 lakh voters may be deleted when the first supplementary electoral lists are published. Speaking from her Kalighat residence in Kolkata, the CM asserted that the battle against what she termed "illegal SIR deletions" is far from concluded.
Targeted Exclusions in Specific Districts
Banerjee provided detailed figures, noting that while the SIR list was expected to be released, it has been delayed. "I've heard that hearings for 22 lakh out of 60 lakh names have been completed. Among them, 10 lakh have been excluded," she revealed. The CM emphasized that most of these exclusions are concentrated in the districts of Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar Dinajpur.
She further alleged that a particular community has been specifically targeted, but also noted that names of Hindus, Rajbangshis, and Matuas have been excluded. Expressing concern over the timeline, Banerjee questioned whether all hearings could be completed before the state goes to polls.
Alleged Post-Election Plans: Delimitation, NRC, and Census
The Chief Minister warned that this is only the beginning of a larger strategy. "The EC might state it later, but we've heard that after the elections, they want to start delimitation," she told reporters. Banerjee claimed that delimitation is being pursued because the Modi government anticipates electoral defeat, as public sentiment has turned against them.
She outlined a three-step plan she alleges is being orchestrated by the BJP-led central government:
- Initiation of delimitation to alter electoral boundaries
- Implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC)
- A "conspiracy called the Census" aimed at canceling more names
Banerjee directly challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking: "Modiji has to impose President's Rule and fight elections — is he so scared of Bengal's people?" She urged election officials to avoid "backdoor politics" and conduct elections transparently.
Following a Predetermined Script
The West Bengal CM claimed that the entire SIR process follows "the script set by the BJP." She referenced previous BJP statements about deleting 1.2 crore names, suggesting the current numbers are aligning with that target. "First, they have already excluded 58 lakh names, and 60 lakh names are now under adjudication," Banerjee stated.
She raised procedural concerns, noting that if it took nearly 20 days to clear 22 lakh names for supplementary lists, completing the remainder before elections seems improbable. "Is this not the EC's injustice?" she questioned, alleging that the Election Commission, along with the offices of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, are controlling the entire process.
Accusations of Undeclared President's Rule
Banerjee took another swipe at the Election Commission for what she described as "crippling the state" and transforming it into "undeclared President's Rule." She claimed that even senior state government officers with no election-related roles have been targeted.
"According to the Sarkaria Commission's recommendations, these cadres stay under the state and work for it. But if all of Bengal's officers are taken away, who will look after Bengal?" she argued. The CM concluded that this situation no longer represents unspoken President's Rule but has become "blatant President's Rule."
The allegations come amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with the Chief Minister positioning herself as defending the state's democratic processes against what she portrays as central government overreach and electoral manipulation.
