NEW DELHI: Activists and citizens are expressing alarm as reports emerge of Muslim voters’ names being systematically deleted from electoral rolls in several states across India.
The revelation comes amidst the fourth phase of polling was held the other day.
In Telangana, social activist Syed Qudubuddin Masood lodged a formal complaint after discovering that his and ten family members’ names were inexplicably absent from the voters’ list in Hyderabad’s Bahadurpura area.
Masood, who has been a consistent voter and resident for nearly four decades, termed the deletions “illegal” and demanded transparency from election officials.
Similar grievances surfaced in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, where the entire Muslim locality of Mahmudabad village’s Meera Nagar reportedly vanished from the voter’s list, prompting calls for investigation by concerned citizens and activists.
Meanwhile, in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district, approximately 700 fishermen, predominantly Muslims, found their names removed from the electoral rolls. Despite claims of due process by Election Commission officials, leaders like Gafoor Pateliya raised concerns about the apparent targeting of specific communities.
As these incidents spark nationwide concern, political leaders and rights activists are urging the Election Commission to conduct thorough investigations and ensure transparency to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and uphold democratic principles.
