The Diplomat

**Bengal’s 2.7M Missing Voters: Their Stories Will Shock You**

human_rights elections countries politics
Officials in West Bengal have removed 2.7 million names from the state’s voter list. The deletions followed a controversial process known as the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls, or SIR exercise. Critics say the move silenced thousands of voices. Among those deleted are everyday citizens. A farmer in rural Nadia lost his vote because his name did not match the spelling on his ID card. A schoolteacher in Kolkata was removed after a minor address change. Many residents say they only discovered their status when they tried to cast a ballot. The SIR exercise aims to clean duplicate or deceased entries. But local activists argue the process targets poor and marginalized communities unfairly. Officials state the deletions follow standard procedure. They promise affected voters can appeal. For now, 2.7 million citizens remain disenfranchised. Their stories reveal the human cost of a bureaucratic overhaul.