1 hr ago
Mumbai Groups Demand SIR Suspension Over Voter Deletions
Citizens’ groups held a meeting in Mumbai about changes to voter lists.
They said many people may have been removed from the lists unfairly.
They asked officials to pause the list-checking process and change how the Election Commission works.
Some speakers also questioned changes to voter numbers in Maharashtra.
The government said deleted names belonged to people who had died, moved, or appeared more than once.
The groups said some communities might be more affected than others.
They also suggested using paper ballots instead of voting machines.
These are claims and demands made by the speakers, not findings established in the article.
Citizens’ groups and religious-minority representatives in Mumbai called for suspending the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
They also demanded changes to the Election Commission of India, including its dissolution, and called for prosecution of its members.
The groups questioned the deletion of about 13 crore names; the government said deletions involved people who died, moved, or had duplicate entries.
Speakers alleged that Maharashtra’s revision removed 31% of voters and that 18% received notices after draft rolls were prepared.
They also questioned voter additions and deletions in Maharashtra and called for measures including a return to paper ballots.
- Who
- United Against Injustice and Discrimination and other citizens’ groups, with representatives of religious minorities and advocates.
- What
- They demanded suspension of the Special Intensive Revision, changes to the Election Commission of India, and action over alleged voter deletions.
- Where
- Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- When
- At a press conference; no date is stated.
- Why
- The speakers said the voter-roll revision could unfairly exclude eligible voters; the government said deletions reflected deaths, address changes, or duplicate entries.
Citizens’ groups and speakers
Government explanation
Reasons for voter-list deletions
Citizens’ groups and speakers
Speakers questioned whether the scale and pattern of deletions could exclude minorities and marginalised communities from voting.
Government explanation
The government said deleted entries belonged to people who had died, moved addresses, or appeared more than once.
Purpose and conduct of SIR
Citizens’ groups and speakers
Speakers described the process as faulty and alleged it could leave eligible voters off the rolls.
Government explanation
The article reports the government’s explanation for deletions but does not provide a direct response to the broader criticisms of SIR.
Key facts
- Location
- Mumbai
- Process under discussion
- Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls
- Names reportedly excluded
- Around 130 million (13 crore), according to the groups’ account
- Government explanation
- Deleted names were of people who had died, shifted addresses, or had duplicate entries
- Maharashtra deletion figure
- Advocate Sandhya Gokhle alleged that 31% of voters had been deleted
- Notices
- Gokhle said 18% of voters received notices after draft rolls were created
- Other demands
- Speakers called for withdrawing electronic voting machines and returning to ballot papers
Quotes
Harwinder Singh Khalsa
A speaker who said his name was missing from the electoral rolls because of a spelling error.
“The ECI added an illegal provision to Form 6, which is supposed to be filled by first-time voters. People have been asked to give declarations about their parents' mapping.”
freepressjournal.in
“All this is being done to stay in power; there is no clarity on the constituencies where the names were added and the BJP's victory margins in these seats.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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