West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concern over the possible deletion of around 1.20 crore voters’ names from the electoral rolls in the state due to the ongoing special intensive revision. She accused the Election Commission of India of identifying a significant number of voters as “logical discrepancy” cases. Mamata Banerjee voiced her distress during a public address in her Assembly constituency of Bhabanipur in south Kolkata.
She stated that the Election Commission of India was considering deleting a large number of names categorized as logical discrepancies. Mamata Banerjee revealed that over 58 lakh names were initially removed from the draft voters’ list published in December last year. She feared that a total of 1.20 crore voters’ names might ultimately be deleted by the end of the special intensive revision. The Chief Minister emphasized her ongoing legal battle on this issue, including her appeal to the Supreme Court.
Mamata Banerjee alleged that genuine voters’ names were being eliminated across different communities. She expressed her hope that the democratic rights of the people would be safeguarded and opposed the deletion of names. The Chief Minister also highlighted concerns that even voters with valid identity documents were facing deletions. Officials clarified that logical discrepancy cases referred to irregularities found in family tree data during the “progeny mapping” process.
The final electoral rolls in West Bengal are scheduled for publication on February 28. However, due to ongoing legal proceedings concerning documents of over 50 lakh voters identified under logical discrepancy cases, supplementary electoral rolls may be released after the final list. Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the event, emphasized the state’s tradition of communal harmony and described Bhabanipur as a diverse community where people from various backgrounds coexist peacefully.
