SIR: UN special rapporteurs flag concerns about targeting of minorities, discriminatory rhetoric
· Scroll
Three United Nations special rapporteurs have written to the Indian government expressing concern about the large-scale removal of names from electoral rolls through the special intensive revision exercise, saying that minority groups may be particularly affected.
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The special rapporteurs, in a letter on May 1, also noted that worries have been expressed about artificial intelligence allegedly being used to flag alleged irregularities in voter data, which they said could lead to questions about “transparency, errors and potential bias”.
The letter noted that nearly 52 million names have been removed from the electoral rolls across 12 states and Union Territories through the special intensive revision exercise. “West Bengal has been particularly affected, where a total of 9.1 million names were reportedly deleted from the register,” it added.
The third phase of the special intensive revision exercise is underway in 16 states and three Union Territories.
The document has also raised concerns about the alleged deletion of voters’ names due to minor spelling discrepancies, “discriminatory rhetoric” by politicians against minorities, and inadequate time for tribunals to hear appeals.
“Senior government officials, including the Union Home Minister [Amit Shah], have reportedly publicly framed the deletion of voter names as targeting illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, a rhetoric that conflates legitimate Indian Muslim citizens with foreign nationals,” the document...