Mamata Banerjee to Lead Street Protest Against Alleged Voter Deletion in Bengal
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is preparing to take to the streets in a major protest against what she calls the "forced deletion of Bengal voters" following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral roll conducted on March 6. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader will stage a dharna at the Metro Channel, the historic site where she held a 26-day hunger strike back in 2006.
Protest Announcement and Legal Moves
On Sunday, TMC's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee announced that the Chief Minister will outline the subsequent steps of the agitation from the protest dais. He further revealed plans to approach the Supreme Court, alleging that Election Commission officials and BJP activists are attempting to intimidate judicial officers.
"Judicial officers are being threatened over phone calls. At least 20 officers have told me they have received threats from EC observers. Who authorized this?" Abhishek Banerjee questioned, highlighting what he described as systematic pressure tactics.
Data Discrepancies and Allegations of Manipulation
The TMC leader presented detailed data to support claims of electoral manipulation. He pointed to what he called suspicious discrepancies in voter deletion and inclusion figures:
- Form 7 Deletions: The total deletion stood at 5,46,053 voters using Form 7. However, bulletins issued by the CEO West Bengal on January 19 and 20, 2026—the final days for Form 7 submissions—showed only 41,961 and 42,251 applications respectively. "How were an additional five lakh added? This is our first question," Abhishek stated, promising to present all arguments before the Supreme Court when it hears the Bengal SIR matter on March 10.
- Form 6 Inclusions: Notifications issued on January 19 and 20 indicated 6,33,762 Form 6 applications were received. Yet, recent data showed only 1,82,036. "Where did the rest go? Five lakh voters were deleted and four lakh Form 6 applications were not accepted—meaning nine lakh votes were manipulated," he alleged.
High-Profile Names Under Adjudication
Abhishek Banerjee highlighted several prominent individuals whose voter status was placed under adjudication, questioning the rationale behind these decisions:
- Richa Ghosh: World Cup-winning Indian cricketer
- Amartya Sen: Nobel Laureate
- Mohammed Shami: Indian cricketer
- Dr. Shashi Panja: West Bengal state minister
- Nandini Chakravorty: Chief Secretary of West Bengal
"Is the World Cup trophy under adjudication as well?" Abhishek asked sarcastically, adding, "BJP is trying to strip the voting rights of people who lived in Bengal for generations simply because they do not vote for the BJP."
Specific Constituency Examples from Malda and Murshidabad
The TMC leader provided detailed constituency-level data to illustrate what he called a pattern of voter suppression in areas where BJP performed poorly in previous elections:
Malda District Examples:
- In Sujapur, where BJP secured 18,000 votes in 2021, approximately 1.3 lakh voters (nearly 90%) are now under adjudication.
- In Ratua, BJP received 57,000 votes, while one lakh voters face adjudication.
- In Malatipur, BJP got 36,156 votes, yet 94,737 are under adjudication.
- In Harishchandrapur, BJP secured 49,000 votes, with 91,000 under adjudication.
- In Mothabari, BJP received 43,000 votes, and nearly 80,000 are under adjudication.
Murshidabad District Examples:
- In Raghunathganj, BJP got 27,000 votes, but 1.15 lakh voters are under adjudication.
- In Bhagwangola, BJP secured 18,490 votes, while 1.1 lakh face adjudication.
- In Samsherganj, Suti, and Lalgola, over one lakh voters are under adjudication in each segment.
Questioning Electoral Fairness
Abhishek Banerjee raised fundamental questions about electoral integrity, noting that in an average assembly constituency with roughly two lakh voters and 80% polling turnout (approximately 1.6 lakh votes), having 1.5 lakh voters under adjudication creates an impossible situation for fair elections.
He challenged the Election Commission to disclose how many Rohingya or Bangladeshi nationals it had identified through the revision process, stating that since it had failed to do so, "it must publicly apologize to the people of Bengal."
The upcoming protest and legal battle highlight growing tensions in West Bengal's political landscape as electoral processes face unprecedented scrutiny ahead of crucial elections.
