Target to delete 1 crore voters fixed by BJP before SIR: Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the “target of deleting over one crore voters” in West Bengal had been decided even before the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise commenced, accusing the BJP of using the Election Commission (EC) to influence the 2026 Assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference a day after the publication of the first phase of post-SIR final electoral rolls, the TMC national general secretary claimed that BJP leaders had publicly spoken about removing “1.2 crore names” from the voter list.

“The target of deleting over one crore voters in West Bengal was decided even before SIR commenced. BJP leaders have repeatedly said 1.2 crore names will be removed. If you add the deletions and those put under adjudication, the number corresponds closely to the figure of 1.2 crore,” Banerjee said.

He referred to earlier remarks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, former BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar and Union minister Shantanu Thakur regarding large-scale deletions from the rolls.

“Even before the commencement of SIR, these leaders had said that 1 crore to 1.25 crore voters will be deleted. They had fixed a target. The Election Commission is acting accordingly,” he alleged.

Banerjee accused the BJP of indulging in “politics of vendetta” and claimed that names of voters who do not support the saffron party were being selectively removed.

“The BJP cannot win elections through free and fair polls. So it is trying to influence the poll outcome by deleting genuine voters using the EC,” he said.

He, however, asserted that the exercise would not benefit the BJP electorally.

“Whether you conduct SIR or file FIRs, in 2026 you will come down to below 50 seats. I had said this a year ago, and I am repeating it today,” he said.

Banerjee also questioned the transparency of the revision process, asking why the EC had not disclosed how many “Rohingyas and Bangladeshis” were identified during the exercise, amid repeated BJP allegations about illegal infiltration altering the state’s demography.

“If the entire exercise was meant to identify infiltrators, why is the EC not publishing how many Rohingyas and Bangladeshis have been found?” he asked.

Taking a swipe at the poll panel over Indian cricketer Richa Ghosh being placed in the “under adjudication” category, Banerjee said, “If Richa Ghosh's name is under adjudication, then India's World Cup victory is also under adjudication.”

He further questioned how deletions were processed through Form-7 applications even after the stipulated deadline had allegedly expired.

Alleging that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was working “at the behest of the BJP”, Banerjee indicated that the TMC would move the Supreme Court over the issue and submit the first phase of the post-SIR final rolls before the apex court.

The remarks came a day after the Election Commission published the post-SIR rolls, months ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

According to official data, 63.66 lakh names — around 8.3 per cent of the electorate — have been deleted since the SIR began in November last year, reducing the voter base from 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.

The 116-day statewide exercise, the first intensive revision since 2002, has also placed over 60.06 lakh electors in the “under adjudication” category, with their eligibility subject to further scrutiny.

The draft rolls published on 16 December last year had already reduced the electorate from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore, deleting over 58 lakh names on grounds including death, migration, duplication and untraceability. Following hearings and disposal of claims and objections, another 5.46 lakh deletions were recorded through Form-7 applications, taking total SIR-linked omissions to 63.66 lakh.