The political landscape of West Bengal is heating up as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) expresses strong disapproval over the removal of approximately 58 lakh names from the electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Election Commission of India (ECI) undertook the SIR to eliminate duplications and inaccuracies in voter lists. The TMC has alleged that the revision is a politically motivated attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters ahead of the upcoming elections.

According to sources, the deleted names include approximately 24.16 lakh voters listed as deceased, 19.88 lakh who have permanently relocated, 12.20 lakh classified as missing, and 1.38 lakh identified as duplicates. An additional 57,604 names were proposed for deletion for other reasons.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been vocal in her criticism of the SIR, accusing the central government and the Election Commission of conspiring to remove legitimate voters. Banerjee has urged people to protest if their names have been removed from the electoral roll. The TMC has announced that it will conduct a door-to-door scrutiny to verify the deletions and ensure that no eligible voters are left out. The party has also alleged that nearly 40 election officials died due to excessive work pressure during the SIR.

The BJP, on the other hand, has defended the SIR, stating that it is necessary to remove "deceased, fake, and illegal voters" from the electoral rolls. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has accused Mamata Banerjee of creating an uproar because she fears losing power if ineligible voters are removed.

The publication of the draft electoral roll is expected to intensify the political tensions in West Bengal. The TMC has a history of criticizing the Election Commission and has urged the poll body to halt the SIR immediately. The ECI, however, has defended the SIR and has urged the TMC not to spread rumors or pressure Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the process.

The Bengal SIR exercise, which took place between December 4 and December 11, was marked by allegations of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and protests from BLOs over tight deadlines and heavy workloads. The last time SIR was conducted in Bengal was in 2002.

The ECI has stated that those whose names have been incorrectly excluded from the draft list can raise objections and request corrections. The final list will be published in February next year, after which the announcement of the Assembly polls in Bengal is expected. The deletion of such a large number of names is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming elections and further polarize the political landscape in the state.