Kolkata: A study of the Election Commission’s summary intensive revision of electoral rolls has found a high proportion of Muslim voters listed under the “logical discrepancy” category in five assembly constituencies of North Kolkata.
The study, conducted by Sabar Institute researchers Ashin Chakraborty, Souptik Halder, and Sabir Ahamed, analysed data from Chowringhee, Entally, Beleghata, Jorasanko, and Cossipore Belgachhia. In each seat, the share of Muslims flagged under logical discrepancy exceeded their population share recorded in the 2011 census.
In Chowringhee, 12,579 out of 17,545 voters marked under logical discrepancy are Muslims, or 71.7 percent. The Muslim population share in the constituency stands at around 40 percent. In Entally, 18,760 out of 25,957 flagged voters are Muslims, or 72.3 percent, while their population share is about 40 percent.
Beleghata shows a similar pattern. Muslims account for 15,387 of 22,711 voters on the list, or 67.8 percent, against a population share of 25 percent. In Jorasanko and Cossipore Belgachhia, around 56 percent of those flagged are Muslims, though their population share is about 20 percent.
Researchers noted that such disparity does not appear in the “absent, shifted, dead or duplicate” category, where Muslim representation broadly matches population share. Sabir Ahamed said the pattern suggests minorities face higher scrutiny and added that the documentation burden resembles an NRC style exercise.
The findings have triggered debate over fairness and transparency in the voter verification process.
