Declared dead: Indian voters fight to get back on electoral rolls
Summary
Indian voters are scrambling to restore their names after a massive electoral roll revision removed millions from the list, triggering protests and accusations of political manipulation. Many say they have been wrongly marked dead, shifted, or otherwise ineligible and must navigate a lengthy bureaucratic process to get back on the rolls.
Key Points
- India’s Special Intensive Revision has removed about 130 million names from the electoral rolls, sparking protests and political controversy.
- Some voters in Delhi say they were wrongly marked dead or shifted and are struggling to prove they are alive and eligible to vote.
- The Election Commission says excluded voters can file claims and appeals, while opposition parties accuse it of helping Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP.
- Affected residents fear losing access to welfare benefits if their names are not restored.
