A voter roll revision process in India has triggered controversy after more than 130 million names were left out of draft electoral lists, with opposition parties and critics warning that the process could disproportionately affect millions of Muslims.

The revision process, known as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), was launched in Bihar last year and later expanded to other parts of the country. The exclusion of around 130 million people from initial voter lists has intensified debate over voting rights ahead of upcoming elections.

Opposition parties and critics argue that the document verification requirements could particularly affect communities that face difficulties obtaining or correcting official records, potentially putting the voting rights of millions of eligible citizens at risk.

The Indian government and the Election Commission reject the allegations, saying the process is aimed at removing deceased, duplicate or ineligible voters from electoral rolls and ensuring more accurate voter lists.

Muslims at centre of voter roll debate

India is home to an estimated 200 million Muslims, making them the country’s largest religious minority.

Critics of the voter roll review say Muslims may be among the groups most affected by the process due to documentation challenges and discrepancies in official records.

The Election Commission, however, says voters who have been wrongly excluded will have opportunities to appeal and re-register, and that the process is being conducted according to legal procedures.

Protests grow in New Delhi and other cities

The controversy has led to protests in the capital New Delhi and other cities.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and several lawmakers demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing the authorities of failing to ensure transparency in the voter verification process.

During protests on October 7, Gandhi was briefly detained and later released.

Demonstrators called for the suspension of changes to voter lists and demanded the restoration of names they say were removed incorrectly.

Youth groups also joined protests in cities including Mumbai and New Delhi, with demonstrators alleging that the changes could provide a political advantage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Election Commission defends process

The Election Commission said the revision of electoral rolls is a legal procedure designed to remove duplicate and ineligible registrations.

The commission stated that measures have been introduced in some areas to make verification easier, including sending officials to visit voters at their homes instead of requiring them to appear at government offices.

Despite these measures, opposition parties and critics continue to question the transparency of the process, warning that errors could affect political representation, particularly among vulnerable communities.

The debate over the voter roll revision is expected to intensify as India moves closer to upcoming elections.(ILKHA)