Controversy Arises Over Voter Eligibility in West Bengal Elections
SIR Effect? BJP Won 25 Bengal Seats Where 'Ineligible' Voters Outnumber Victory Margins
News 18
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In the upcoming 2026 West Bengal elections, data reveals that the number of 'ineligible' voters under the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exceeds victory margins in 25 seats won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This raises questions about electoral fairness and the impact of voter roll revisions.
- 0125 seats won by BJP have more 'ineligible' voters than victory margins.
- 02The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) marked over 27 lakh voters as ineligible.
- 03The scale of voter deletions could have altered election outcomes in close races.
- 04Both BJP and TMC have accused each other of benefiting from voter roll changes.
- 05Concerns over electoral fairness are likely to lead to legal and political debates.
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The 2026 West Bengal elections are under scrutiny as data shows that in 25 constituencies won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the number of voters marked as 'ineligible' due to the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exceeds the victory margins. The SIR aimed to clean up the electoral rolls, marking over 27 lakh voters as ineligible and scrutinizing more than 60 lakh names. This situation raises significant questions about the fairness of the electoral process, as the number of ineligible voters in some constituencies was 2-3 times higher than the margin of victory. Both the BJP and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) have exchanged accusations regarding the impact of these deletions on their electoral fortunes. The findings have shifted the focus from election outcomes to the integrity of the electoral process, potentially igniting legal challenges and political debates in the coming weeks.
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The discrepancies in voter eligibility could lead to challenges in the election results, affecting the legitimacy of the elected representatives.
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