Allegations of Minority Voters Removed from Electoral Rolls Draw Criticism of Election Commission

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar are reportedly facing growing criticism and public distrust following reports of alleged irregularities in the electoral process, including claims concerning the removal of voters from electoral rolls.

Young people have taken to the streets in protest over allegations that certain voters were removed from electoral lists through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in a manner that allegedly benefited the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

According to the BBC, allegations have emerged that the Chief Election Commissioner, under the Modi government, manipulated the electoral process, raising questions over India’s democratic credentials.

A report by Indian newspaper Hindustan Times stated that 158,677 voters in Christian-majority areas of Manipur were removed from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise, prompting concerns about possible discrimination in the electoral process.

Commenting on the situation, prominent Indian economist Prakala Prabhakar alleged that Narendra Modi was deliberately using the SIR process to remove minority names from voter lists with the aim of transforming India into what he described as an “upper-caste Hindu state.”