West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made serious allegations against the Election Commission on Tuesday. She claimed the EC deleted fifty-four lakh names from draft electoral rolls in the state without proper procedure.
Voters Denied Right to Defend Themselves
Banerjee stated these deletions happened during the Summary Revision of electoral rolls. She emphasized that most deleted voters were genuine electors. These people received no opportunity to defend themselves because authorities never informed them about deletion grounds.
The Chief Minister spoke at a press conference in Nabanna, the state secretariat. She accused electoral registration officers of misusing their powers. According to Banerjee, the entire process was carried out unilaterally.
AI Tools and Political Nexus Allegations
Banerjee made explosive claims about how these deletions occurred. She alleged the Election Commission, sitting in Delhi, used artificial intelligence tools devised by the BJP. These AI software reportedly identified name mismatches in SIR data.
"They deleted names of women who changed surnames after marriage," Banerjee told reporters. She insisted logical discrepancy was not part of the original verification process. The TMC supremo called this an afterthought designed to increase deletions.
Further Deletions Feared
The West Bengal Chief Minister warned about more potential deletions. She claimed the "BJP-EC nexus" plans to remove another one crore names from final electoral rolls. This would represent a massive reduction in the state's voter base.
Banerjee also criticized the hearing process for these deletions. She said the EC prevented Booth Level Agents-2 from attending hearings. According to her, this happened because the BJP could not gather enough workers to support the deletion process.
Background of the Controversy
This controversy emerges during ongoing political tensions in West Bengal. The state has witnessed frequent clashes between ruling and opposition parties. Electoral roll revisions often become contentious issues before elections.
Banerjee's allegations come at a sensitive time for Indian democracy. Voter list integrity remains crucial for free and fair elections. The Chief Minister's claims suggest systematic attempts to disenfranchise legitimate voters.
These developments require careful examination by electoral authorities. Genuine voters must have protection against arbitrary deletion from rolls. The Election Commission faces serious questions about its procedures in West Bengal.
