TMC Moves Supreme Court Against EC Over 'Secret' Voter Deletions Ahead of Bengal Polls

This special report examines the escalating political tension in West Bengal as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) moves the Supreme Court against the Election Commission's 'special intensive revision' of electoral rolls. The TMC alleges that 'voters are being deleted centrally without the knowledge of electoral registration officers' through undisclosed algorithms and software allegedly managed by the BJP's IT cell. The petition highlights concerns over transparency, claiming that instructions were issued to officials via WhatsApp and oral directions. The party is seeking an extension of the January 15th deadline for claims and objections, while requesting virtual hearings for migrant voters and doorstep verification for senior citizens. The report notes that the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer recently halted hearings for thousands, including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen. With assembly elections approaching in three months, the ruling party accuses the EC of targeted deletions, a charge the BJP has rejected. The programme also covers the release of draft electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, where over 12 crore voters submitted verification forms.