Breaking through the web of 'tarikh pe tarikh' (date after date), the Election Commission finally published the draft voter list for Uttar Pradesh. To eliminate 'ghosts' from the voter list, the Commission initiated a Special Intensive Revision, or SIR. During this process, BJP leaders had predicted that nearly one crore Rohingya and Bangladeshis would be removed from West Bengal.
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Meanwhile, when the draft list was published, it was seen that a record number of voters were excluded from BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. According to data provided by the Commission, 2 crore 89 lakh voters have been excluded from the draft list in Yogi's state. Of these, 46.23 lakh are deceased. Notably, 54 lakh names have been excluded from the draft list in Bengal.
According to data provided by the Election Commission, the total number of 'valid' voters in Yogi's state has decreased from 15 crore 44 lakh to 12 crore 55 lakh 56 thousand 25. It has been learned that among the excluded voters, 2.17 crore have been transferred, meaning they no longer reside at that location. On the other hand, 46 lakh 23 thousand deceased voters, essentially non-existent or 'ghost' voters, have been excluded. Additionally, 25 lakh 17 thousand voters whose names appeared in voter lists at multiple locations have been excluded.
District-wise exclusions raise questions
According to Commission sources, the highest number of voters have been excluded from the draft in Lucknow itself. 12 lakh voters from that district did not find a place in the draft. On the other hand, in terms of exclusions, the fewest voters have been removed from Lalitpur district. 95,450 residents from there have been excluded, it has been learned.
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During the SIR, the BJP had alleged that the opposition was bringing in people from outside into their own states. Now the opposition's question is where did the 'ghosts' in BJP-ruled Yogi's state come from. According to statistics provided by Commission sources, while the exclusion rate in the draft is 8 percent in Bengal, it has risen to 18 percent in Yogi's state. Using Uttar Pradesh's draft list report as a weapon, the opposition is set to launch fresh attacks. However, the final voter list will be published on March 6 after the hearing phase concludes.
