TMC seeks debate on voter roll deletions in Parliament

Trinamool Congress MPs have submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking a discussion on alleged voter disenfranchisement during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, as the Opposition raises concerns ahead of Assembly elections in several states

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MPs have given notices in both Houses of Parliament to discuss “voter disenfranchisement”, sources said on Monday.

In the Lok Sabha, senior party leader Saugata Roy has submitted an adjournment motion notice demanding a debate on the issue. In the Rajya Sabha, MPs Nadimul Haque and Saket Gokhale have given notices under Rule 267, sources said.

---

The move comes as the Opposition cries foul over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in five states, including West Bengal, that are heading to Assembly elections.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been vocal in its opposition to the manner in which the SIR exercise is being carried out.

According to official data released on February 28, as many as 63.66 lakh names, or around 8.3 per cent of the electorate, have been deleted since the SIR process began in West Bengal in November last year, reducing the voter base from about 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.

In addition, over 60.06 lakh electors have been placed under the “under adjudication” category, which means their eligibility will be determined through legal scrutiny in the coming weeks, a process that could further reshape constituency-level electoral equations.

The second half of the Budget session of Parliament was set for a stormy start on Monday, with the Lok Sabha scheduled to take up an opposition-sponsored resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia is also likely to figure prominently as the Opposition is already attacking the government over its stance towards Iran, and the US “waiver” on India’s Russian oil purchase, among other issues.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will make a statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the “Situation in West Asia”, according to a revised list of business of the Lower House for March 9 circulated on Sunday evening.