Kolkata, June 27 (V7N) — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised strong objections to the Indian Election Commission’s voter list revision initiative, warning that it could be part of a larger plan resembling the National Register of Citizens (NRC) — or potentially even more dangerous. Speaking on Thursday, she urged citizens to remain vigilant, calling the move a veiled attempt to disenfranchise legitimate voters.
Her remarks come in response to a recent directive from the Election Commission of India (ECI), which announced a comprehensive revision of the electoral roll ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The revision is reportedly aimed at eliminating "illegal voters" and ensuring transparency in the voting process. As part of this initiative, the ECI has issued a 'Declaration Form' and a set of updated guidelines to various states across the country.
Mamata Banerjee criticized several of these rules, expressing concern that they could be misused to target minorities, the poor, and marginalized communities — groups that were also disproportionately affected during previous NRC-related exercises in Assam. “This is nothing but NRC in disguise,” she said, adding, “In fact, this could be more dangerous than NRC. We will not allow this in Bengal.”
She reiterated her government's commitment to protecting all lawful citizens of the state and warned that such moves could incite fear, confusion, and instability among residents. “We must not allow any attempt to strip people of their voting rights through bureaucratic trickery,” Mamata declared.
Political analysts suggest that Mamata Banerjee’s remarks reflect growing tensions over voter rights and identity politics in India, particularly in states with significant minority populations.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has maintained that the voter list revision is a routine process carried out in accordance with the Representation of the People Act and aimed solely at maintaining electoral integrity. However, the backlash in West Bengal suggests that the issue may become a major political flashpoint in the lead-up to upcoming elections.
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