West Bengal will conduct second phase voting on Wednesday, April 29. Moreover, polling will cover 142 assembly seats across seven districts. Additionally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Bhabanipur seat falls in this phase. Therefore, stakes remain extremely high.
Tribunal Restores Limited Voters
Meanwhile, authorities released updated voter lists before polling begins. Moreover, tribunal reviewed appeals from voters removed during SIR process. Additionally, officials examined 1474 applications in this phase. Consequently, tribunal approved 1468 voters for inclusion.
Applications Review Outcome
Furthermore, tribunal rejected six applications after detailed review. Moreover, officials reported zero invalid applications this time. However, authorities have not clarified criteria for invalid cases. Therefore, questions around transparency still remain.
Earlier Phase Comparison
Meanwhile, first phase voting occurred on April 23 earlier. Moreover, tribunal reviewed 657 applications in that phase. Additionally, officials added 139 voters after review. However, they rejected eight names and marked 518 applications invalid.
Massive Deletions Raise Concerns
Importantly, SIR process removed 12,87,622 voter names in affected areas. Moreover, across the state, authorities removed nearly 90 lakh voters. Additionally, this accounts for around 12 percent of total voters. Consequently, controversy intensified significantly.
Categories Of Removed Voters
Meanwhile, officials classified over 60 lakh names as absent or deceased. Moreover, around 27 lakh cases reached tribunal for review. Additionally, observers noted unclear status for many individuals. Therefore, scrutiny increased across political groups.
Social Impact Observed
Furthermore, observers identified demographic impact during verification process. Moreover, around 65 percent of uncertain cases involved Muslims. Additionally, Dalit Hindu groups, including Matua community, faced impact in some districts. Consequently, debate expanded beyond numbers.
Supreme Court Intervention
Meanwhile, Supreme Court issued key directions on April 13. Moreover, court used Article 142 powers for voter inclusion. Additionally, it ordered supplementary voter lists for approved appeals. Therefore, eligible voters can participate in respective phases.
Final Voting Eligibility Rules
Furthermore, court clarified eligibility timelines for voters carefully. Moreover, approvals before April 21 allowed first phase participation. Additionally, approvals before April 27 enabled second phase voting rights. However, pending appeals do not grant voting rights automatically.
What Lies Ahead
Finally, authorities reported over 34 lakh total appeals across the state. Moreover, disputes include wrongful deletions and objections to inclusions. Additionally, final voter lists now include tribunal-approved names. Therefore, voting proceeds under intense scrutiny.
