BJP wants to remove names of 1.5 crore voters in West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], December 22 (ANI): Stepping up her attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with assembly polls in West Bengal months away, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged the opposition party in the state wants to remove the names of 1.5 crore voters.
Mamata Banerjee made the remarks while chairing a meeting with Trinamool Congress Booth Level Agents (BLAs) at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday.
She alleged that the BJP is trying to bring people here from outside for elections.
"BJP wants to remove the names of 1.5 crore voters. They want to destroy democracy...I saw 50 motorbikes with Bihar registration coming to Burdwan yesterday. They are trying to bring people here from outside for elections...All BLAs should consult MLAs, councillors, and block presidents regarding SIR," she said.
"The mapping done by EC is absolutely wrong. Did you consider delimitation after 2002? EC is responsible for 46 deaths. There is no match in the EPIC number of the 2002 EC list and the present list," she added.
The Election Commission published the draft rolls on December 16 following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, with 58,20,899 electors, accounting for 7.59 per cent, deleted due to death, being untraceable, or permanent migration.
According to a press release by the Election Commission, out of a total 7,66,37,529 voters, 7,08,16,630 electors had submitted their enumeration forms as of December 11.
The poll body stated that genuine electors can still be added back in the electoral rolls during the Claims and Objections period from December 16 to January 15, 2026.
Earlier Mamata Banerjee had alleged that the SIR exercise, initiated just months before the polls, is being used to destabilise the state government.
Announcing an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those hospitalised, Banerjee accused the Centre of selectively implementing SIR in non-BJP-ruled states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
"Due to SIR, 40 people have died. An ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh has been announced. For those in the hospital, the amount is Rs 1 lakh... Just so that the State government could not function, SIR was declared just three months before the polls. In Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam, elections are happening. SIR will happen in Tamil Nadu and Kerala since the BJP is not in power. It's happening in West Bengal since the BJP is not in power. Why is SIR not happening in bordering States where BJP is in power?" Mamata Banerjee asked.
The SIR exercise is being held in West Bengal and 11 other states and Union Territories. Assembly Elections in the state are likely to be held in first half of 2026. (ANI)