Voter Roll Purge in Dakshin Dinajpur Sparks Political Outcry as Security Forces Deployed

• Political Siege over Voter Lists

Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Balurghat

A sweeping revision of the voter rolls in Dakshin Dinajpur district has triggered sharp political reactions after more than 100,000 names were removed from the electoral list over the past revision cycles, officials said.According to district authorities, the total number of registered voters now stands at 1,232,065 — comprising 634,670 male voters, 597,349 female voters and 46 third-gender voters. The figure marks a significant decline from the previous total of 1,331,548 voters.

Of the earlier deletions, more than 80,000 names had been removed on grounds such as death or relocation. In the latest revision, an additional 21,803 names were struck off, pushing the cumulative deletions past the one-lakh mark.Adding to the scrutiny, documents of 132,258 voters currently listed will be examined by a panel of 12 judges appointed by the Calcutta High Court. Officials indicated that the overall voter count could decrease further depending on the outcome of the verification process.

The district magistrate has said that the process for new voter registration remains open and will continue until the final date for withdrawal of candidatures.Opposition leaders across parties, however, have voiced strong dissatisfaction after receiving the updated list. They allege that names were removed prematurely, even before directives from the Supreme Court of India were fully implemented, raising concerns that eligible voters may have been excluded. 

They also criticized the administration for not publishing a comprehensive final list, accusing the ruling party of engaging in misinformation regarding the Special Intensive Revision process.Meanwhile, heightened security measures have accompanied the release of the voter list. Ten companies of central armed forces have arrived in the district and are being deployed across various blocks and subdivisions, officials said.The developments have intensified political tensions in the district, as parties prepare for the upcoming electoral contest amid disputes over the integrity of the voter rolls.