United Nations Special Rapporteurs have expressed concern over India’s removal of large scale of Muslims from the voters list a step that could disproportionately affect Muslims, Bengalis and other minority communities
The concerns were raised in a communication sent to the Government of India under the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures mechanism.
The communication was signed by Nicolas Levrat, Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and Nazila Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
According to the UN experts, reports indicate that around 52 million voter records were removed across 12 Indian states and Union Territories during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
The communication highlighted allegations that about 9.1 million names were deleted in West Bengal, with many affected individuals claiming they possessed valid identification documents.
The experts also expressed concern over reports that a significant number of deleted voters in West Bengal’s Nandigram constituency belonged to the Muslim community. They further noted allegations that nearly 2.7 million people in the state were excluded because of what authorities described as “logical inconsistencies”, including minor spelling differences and administrative discrepancies.
The UN experts also questioned the reported use of artificial intelligence in voter verification, warning that a lack of transparency and possible algorithmic bias could wrongly deprive eligible citizens of their voting rights.
They also referred to statements by Indian officials linking voter verification with action against alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants, saying such rhetoric could create an association between Indian Muslim citizens and foreign nationals.
The communication noted that such narratives may raise concerns under Article 20(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that incites discrimination, hostility or violence.
The UN experts have asked the Indian government to explain the measures taken to address these concerns and provide detailed information on those reportedly removed from electoral rolls, including available data on religion and ethnicity.
The Indian government has yet to formally respond to the latest communication from the UN experts.
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