West Bengal voter roll turmoil

The mass deletion of names from the voter list has triggered a series of legal challenges and protests across West Bengal.

Opposition parties allege that the deletions disproportionately target specific communities, while the Election Commission maintains that the process was a standard update to remove deceased or relocated electors.

Appellate tribunals have begun hearing thousands of appeals as the state prepares for a highly contested second phase of polling.

The controversy has added another layer of volatility to an already intense campaign marked by accusations of communalism and central government overreach.