India Election Commission reviews software after mass voter list removals

The Election Commission of India has ordered a review of the software used to manage electoral rolls following controversies regarding voter list updates. The decision follows reports of internal tensions within the Commission and allegations from opposition parties that the revision process has led to the exclusion of a significant number of voters.

Reports indicate that approximately 134 million people across 30 states were removed from the lists during an extraordinary revision. Opposition groups have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party of leveraging these changes to disenfranchise specific demographics, including poorer citizens and religious minorities, to gain an electoral advantage.

In response to the criticism and calls for the resignation of Commission head Gyanesh Kumar, the electoral body has established a working group. This group, led by a senior official and an independent technology specialist, will verify that the software used for updating lists complies with current electoral laws. The Commission stated that any identified anomalies will be addressed by local officials visiting affected voters directly to minimize administrative burdens.