West Bengal voter roll purge sparks row

The first phase of polling in West Bengal has been marred by sporadic violence and reports of voter intimidation.

Tribunals have restored voting rights to only a fraction of the 27 lakh voters whose names were expunged during a 'Special Intensive Revision' exercise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP is seeking to make major inroads in the state, which is one of the few large regions not governed by his party.

Rights groups have criticized the revision process as rushed and opaque, warning that it could lead to widespread disenfranchisement in one of India's most closely watched political contests.