Maya Devi, a resident of an informal settlement near Delhi, has lost her voting rights. She is among more than 130 million people removed from India’s electoral rolls, as reported by the Election Commission. This controversial removal has triggered protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the nationalist leader of the world’s most populous democracy.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth movement, protested in response. Leaders were detained for demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Over the weekend, authorities temporarily detained more than 2,400 protesters. On Monday, opposition leaders sought Supreme Court intervention over the voter list changes.
“I have been voting for decades, and suddenly that right has been taken away from me and my entire family. I’m shocked,” Devi told Newsweek.
The removals primarily affected people classified as dead, duplicates, absent, untraceable, or permanently moved. Critics claim the changes might benefit Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission and BJP deny political manipulation. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that valid voters were not included in the removals.
Hrishika Jain, a legal scholar, argues that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise was unfair, affecting those without stable housing like migrant workers. Jain pointed out the excessive demand for documentation from populations lacking resources.
Political analysts are scrutinizing the electoral impact. Neelanjan Sircar researched West Bengal’s 2026 election, where Modi’s party saw success. His analysis indicated a potential 10 percent voter roll contraction per constituency, benefiting BJP. A Sabar Institute audit revealed a significant number of those removed were Muslims.
Praveen Rai, a political analyst, stated no evidence supported allegations of religious or caste-based voter removals. He mentioned illegal immigration to Bangladesh as a reason for many deletions. Rashmi Singh, a political sociologist, noted the challenges minorities face in rectifying voter roll discrepancies compared to BJP supporters with better access to aid.
Attacks on the Election Commission and the SIR exercise might undermine public trust. Rai believes calls to revert to paper ballots could erode confidence in the electoral system. Jain emphasizes that resignations won’t solve the Election Commission’s independence concerns. She stressed the need for changes in appointing election commissioners to ensure impartiality.
Devi expressed distress over losing voting rights after her family’s home was bulldozed. “We want our voting rights back,” she said, feeling lost about whom to contact.
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