BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs have written to the Indian government expressing concern over allegations that the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls resulted in the deletion of millions of voters, with minority communities allegedly being disproportionately affected.
In a formal communication to the Centre, the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion/belief said they had received information indicating that the electoral roll revision adversely affected ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, particularly Muslims.
The communication focuses primarily on the SIR exercise conducted in West Bengal before the elections in April 2026, while also referring to concerns raised during a similar roll revision in Bihar last year.
The UN experts said many of those removed in Bengal allegedly possessed valid identity documents but were disenfranchised.
The rapporteurs also cited allegations that Muslim voters were disproportionately affected. In Nandigram Assembly constituency, 95 per cent of deleted names belonged to Muslim voters, the representatives told the Centre.