Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll | India

The Indian government's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has been met with widespread criticism for its potential to disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly minorities. The process, which aims to remove "infiltrators" from voter rolls, has led to the deletion of over 9 million names in West Bengal, a state crucial to the upcoming elections. Critics argue that the exercise disproportionately targets Muslims and other religious minorities, raising concerns about its legality and potential for manipulation. The BJP government defends the process as necessary for national security, but experts warn that it undermines democratic principles and threatens the rights of citizens.