The Trinamool Congress has erupted in anger over the sudden deactivation of approximately 34 lakh Aadhaar cards in West Bengal, with the party leadership describing the move as a form of 'silent invisible rigging' ahead of crucial electoral processes.
Contradictory Claims Spark Political Firestorm
According to party officials, the Unique Identification Authority of India made a startling submission before West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The TMC claims this submission directly contradicts UIDAI's longstanding position that the authority does not maintain state-wise or year-wise records of Aadhaar deactivations.
The revelation came to light on November 13, 2025, when the party leadership went public with their concerns. Political observers note the timing is particularly sensitive given the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in the state.
The Core of the Controversy
At the heart of the dispute lies what the TMC describes as a fundamental inconsistency in UIDAI's stance. For years, the identification authority has maintained that it doesn't categorize deactivation data by state or year, making the specific submission about West Bengal's 34 lakh deactivations particularly puzzling to party leaders.
The massive scale of deactivations has raised alarm bells within the state's ruling party, which fears these moves could potentially disenfranchise millions of legitimate voters during the electoral revision process.
Broader Implications for Democratic Processes
The controversy touches upon critical questions about voter identification and eligibility verification in India's largest democracy. With Aadhaar becoming increasingly integrated into various aspects of civic life, including voter registration, any large-scale deactivation inevitably raises concerns about its impact on democratic participation.
Political analysts suggest that the TMC's strong reaction reflects deeper anxieties about the upcoming electoral battles in West Bengal. The party has demanded immediate clarification from both the Election Commission and UIDAI regarding the precise reasons behind the mass deactivations and the methodology used to arrive at the specific figure of 34 lakh affected cards.
As the situation develops, all eyes remain on how the central and state authorities will address these serious allegations and what measures will be taken to ensure no legitimate voter is excluded from the democratic process due to technical or administrative decisions regarding their identification documents.
