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2 Dec 2025·Source: The Hindu
2 min
Polity & GovernanceNEWS

West Bengal SIR: BJP Demands Audit of 1.25 Crore Entries in Electoral Roll

BJP demands audit of 1.25 crore new entries in West Bengal's electoral roll, alleging irregularities.

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West Bengal SIR: BJP Demands Audit of 1.25 Crore Entries in Electoral Roll

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त्वरित संशोधन

1.

BJP demands audit of 1.25 crore new entries in West Bengal electoral roll.

2.

Allegations of irregularities.

महत्वपूर्ण तिथियां

November 20-22 (period of alleged entries)

महत्वपूर्ण संख्याएं

1.25 crore (new entries)

दृश्य सामग्री

West Bengal Electoral Roll Controversy

This map highlights West Bengal, the state where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised serious concerns about alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process, demanding an audit of 1.25 crore new entries. It underscores the geographical focus of the current news and its significance in the Indian political landscape.

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📍Kolkata

Scale of Alleged Irregularities in West Bengal Electoral Roll

This dashboard quantifies the core concern of the news story: the massive number of new entries in the electoral roll in a very short period, raising questions about the revision process and the Election Commission's oversight.

New Electoral Roll Entries Alleged
1.25 Crore

This is the number of new entries in the electoral roll that the BJP alleges were made suspiciously within a short timeframe, demanding an audit. It highlights the sheer scale of the potential irregularity.

Timeframe of Entries
3 Days

The short duration within which 1.25 crore entries were allegedly made is a key point of contention, suggesting a possible lack of due diligence and proper verification processes.

परीक्षा के दृष्टिकोण

1.

Constitutional provisions related to the Election Commission of India (Article 324) and adult suffrage (Article 326).

2.

Legal framework for electoral roll preparation and revision (Representation of the People Act, 1950).

3.

Powers and functions of the ECI in ensuring free and fair elections.

4.

Challenges to electoral integrity and the role of technology in electoral management.

5.

Electoral reforms and recommendations by various committees/commissions.

विस्तृत सारांश देखें

सारांश

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised serious concerns regarding the electoral roll revision process in West Bengal, demanding an audit of 1.25 crore new entries made within a span of just three days. The party alleges significant irregularities and a lack of transparency, suggesting that such a massive influx of new voters in a short period is suspicious and could impact the fairness of upcoming elections. This issue highlights critical aspects of electoral integrity, the role of the Election Commission of India (ECI), and the challenges in maintaining accurate voter lists, making it relevant for UPSC under polity and governance.

पृष्ठभूमि

The integrity of electoral rolls is a cornerstone of free and fair elections in any democracy. In India, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is constitutionally mandated to prepare and revise these rolls. Historically, challenges such as bogus voters, multiple entries, and errors in inclusion/exclusion have plagued the process, leading to disputes and allegations of malpractices by political parties.

नवीनतम घटनाक्रम

The recent demand by the BJP in West Bengal for an audit of 1.25 crore new entries in the electoral roll within a short span highlights ongoing concerns about the accuracy and transparency of voter list revision. Such allegations, if substantiated, could undermine public trust in the electoral process and question the fairness of upcoming elections. This incident underscores the need for robust mechanisms for verification and grievance redressal.

बहुविकल्पीय प्रश्न (MCQ)

1. Consider the following statements regarding the preparation and revision of electoral rolls in India: 1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for the preparation and revision of electoral rolls for elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President. 2. The Representation of the People Act, 1950, primarily deals with the qualifications of voters and the preparation of electoral rolls. 3. An individual must be at least 21 years old to be registered as a voter in India, as per the original constitutional provisions.

  • A.1 and 2 only
  • B.2 and 3 only
  • C.1 only
  • D.1, 2 and 3
उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: A

Statement 1 is correct. Article 324 of the Constitution vests the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for all elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of every State and of elections to the offices of President and Vice-President in the ECI. Statement 2 is correct. The RPA, 1950, provides for the allocation of seats and delimitation of constituencies for elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies, the qualifications of voters, and the preparation of electoral rolls. Statement 3 is incorrect. The original constitutional provision (Article 326) set the voting age at 21, but it was reduced to 18 years by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988.

2. In the context of electoral laws in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Representation of the People Act, 1950, lays down the procedure for the conduct of elections and electoral offences. 2. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides for the allocation of seats in the House of the People and the State Legislative Assemblies. 3. The Delimitation Commission Act is the primary legislation governing the redrawing of electoral constituency boundaries.

  • A.1 and 2 only
  • B.3 only
  • C.2 and 3 only
  • D.1, 2 and 3
उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: B

Statement 1 is incorrect. The RPA, 1950, deals with the preparation of electoral rolls, allocation of seats, and delimitation. The conduct of elections and electoral offences are covered by the RPA, 1951. Statement 2 is incorrect. The RPA, 1950, deals with the allocation of seats. Statement 3 is correct. While the RPA, 1950, has provisions for allocation of seats and delimitation, the specific process of redrawing boundaries is primarily governed by the Delimitation Commission Act.

3. Which of the following is NOT a typical measure undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure the accuracy and integrity of electoral rolls?

  • A.Annual Special Summary Revision (SSR) campaigns.
  • B.Appointment of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for door-to-door verification.
  • C.Mandatory biometric verification for all new voter registrations across all states.
  • D.Facilitating online registration and deletion requests through platforms like the National Voter's Service Portal (NVSP).
उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: C

Options A, B, and D are all standard measures undertaken by the ECI. Special Summary Revisions are conducted annually to update the rolls. BLOs are crucial for ground-level verification. NVSP facilitates online services. Option C, mandatory biometric verification for all new voter registrations across all states, is NOT a universally implemented or mandatory measure by the ECI, although pilot projects or specific state initiatives might exist, and Aadhaar linkage (which involves biometrics) has been proposed and debated with safeguards. As a universal, mandatory measure, it is incorrect.