Shashi Tharoor, a Member of Parliament from the Congress party, has raised significant concerns regarding the electoral process in West Bengal. He has suggested that large-scale deletions from the voter rolls may have played a crucial role in the outcome of recent elections. During his address at the ‘India, That is Bharat’ roundtable at the Stanford India Conference, Tharoor highlighted that approximately 91 lakh names were removed from the voter lists in the state.

Tharoor specifically mentioned that around 34 lakh individuals have appealed, claiming they are legitimate voters who were removed erroneously. He pointed out that the timing of these deletions, alongside the delayed verification of the appeals, left many voters without the ability to participate in the elections. He noted that only a limited number of appeals were resolved before the polling period.

The MP stressed the implications of these deletions, drawing attention to the BJP’s victory margin of around 30 lakh votes. He queried whether such a scenario could be deemed completely fair and democratic, given the unresolved status of numerous appeals that likely involved actual eligible voters.”It raises a serious question about the integrity of the electoral process,” Tharoor stated.

Impact of Special Intensive Revision in Kerala

In addition to his comments on West Bengal, Tharoor addressed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Kerala, suggesting that the Congress party may have benefitted from recent voter roll clean-ups. Historically, he alleged that there have been instances of double, triple, and even quadruple enrolments, particularly linked to rival parties.

According to Tharoor, the SIR served to eliminate these inflated registrations, subsequently working in favour of the Congress. He specifically pointed out that the CPM (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), had previously exploited these practices to their advantage, registering the same individuals multiple times across different booth locations.

Tharoor contrasted the situations of West Bengal and Kerala regarding voter appeal processes. While he acknowledged that there were very few appeals in Kerala, the case was dramatically different in West Bengal, where a substantial number of appeals remained pending at the time of voting.

BJP’s Historic Victory in West Bengal Elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) achieved a significant milestone by winning the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, marking the end of the Trinamool Congress’s 15-year governance in the state. The BJP secured 207 seats, while the TMC (Trinamool Congress) managed to win 80 seats. This election outcome has led to the establishment of the BJP government in West Bengal for the first time.

Following the elections, Suvendu Adhikari from the BJP has taken on the role of Chief Minister, leading a government that represents a notable shift in the political landscape of the state. This transition has garnered widespread attention and is acknowledged as a significant event in West Bengal’s political history.

Tharoor’s criticisms and observations raise important issues regarding electoral integrity and the processes surrounding voter verification, which may influence future discussions on electoral reforms in India.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share