India voter list revisions spark controversy in Maharashtra and Tripura

In Maharashtra, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process has sparked political controversy after the state's Chief Electoral Officer reported that 2.06 crore names—approximately 21.14 percent of previous voters—were removed from the draft voter list.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of ‘vote theft,’ claiming that the removal of names is a tactic to ensure BJP victories. Gandhi noted that between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, 39 lakh new voters were suddenly added, and he alleged that in West Bengal, 91 percent of removed names had to be reinstated upon appeal.

In Tripura, the BJP has requested the Election Commission of India to defer the SIR process. A party delegation, led by Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, argued that the revision should be postponed until after the September 28 village committee elections to avoid straining officials, booth-level officers, and agents who are required for the electoral process.