West Bengal Voter Roll Controversy: Tribunal Clears More Appeals Than Election Commission
Judge who quit Bengal SIR tribunal cleared more voters than EC added to rolls
The Indian Express
Image: The Indian Express
In West Bengal, a tribunal led by retired Justice TS Sivagnanam approved 1,717 voter appeals shortly before elections, raising concerns over the 27.16 lakh voters deleted from the rolls. Justice Sivagnanam resigned a day after the polling period ended, citing personal reasons, amidst scrutiny of the electoral process.
- 01Justice TS Sivagnanam's tribunal approved 1,717 voter appeals before the elections.
- 02A total of 27.16 lakh names were deleted from the voter rolls, affecting their ability to vote.
- 03The Supreme Court intervened to establish tribunals for appeals due to trust issues with the Election Commission.
- 04Only 1,468 names were added back to the rolls before the second phase of voting.
- 05Justice Sivagnanam resigned on the eve of polling, which raises questions about the electoral process.
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In the lead-up to the elections in West Bengal, the Appellate Tribunals, particularly one led by retired Justice TS Sivagnanam, approved 1,717 appeals from voters whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls due to a controversial exercise. This raised significant concerns as 27.16 lakh voters were removed from the rolls, preventing them from participating in the elections. Justice Sivagnanam, who handled appeals for constituencies in North 24 Parganas and Kolkata, resigned just a day after the polling period ended, citing personal reasons. The Supreme Court had ordered the establishment of these tribunals to address the trust deficit between the Election Commission of India and the state government, following a review that flagged discrepancies among 60.06 lakh electors. Despite the tribunal's efforts, only 1,468 names were added back to the rolls before the second phase of voting, leaving many voters disenfranchised. The Supreme Court noted that 34 lakh appeals had been filed regarding the deletions and inclusions during the adjudication process.
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The deletion of 27.16 lakh voters from the rolls has significant implications for electoral participation in West Bengal, affecting their ability to vote and influencing election outcomes.
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