Shashi Tharoor 'BJP Won in Bengal Because of Deleted Voters'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has raised questions over the electoral process in West Bengal, suggesting that large-scale deletions from voter rolls and delays in verifying appeals may have influenced the state?s election outcome. 

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Tharoor said around 91 lakh names were removed from the lists, while nearly 34 lakh people filed appeals claiming they were legitimate voters. He noted that only a small number of these appeals were adjudicated before



polling.

Speaking at the ?India, That is Bharat? roundtable during the Stanford India Conference, Tharoor said, ?In the matter of the SIR, what I have said is a legitimate question to answer. 

Look at the Bengal case. 91 lakh names were struck off the rolls. Of those, 34 lakh living human beings have appealed, saying that they are around and they are legitimately entitled to vote.?

He added that under the rules, every case must be adjudicated individually, meaning only a few hundred cases were resolved before voting took place.