Maharashtra: 30 pc voters face deletion in minority-dense seats

Mumbai: At least three in every 10 voters in 38 constituencies with a higher Muslim population in Maharashtra are likely to be deleted, with their names excluded from the draft electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

According to The Indian Express’ analysis of the state’s draft electoral rolls, the highest rates of voters marked as Absent, Shifted, Deceased, Duplicate (ASDD) are in constituencies where Muslims account for more than one-fifth of the population.

The report found that across the 38 constituencies, 37.51 lakh voters have been left off the draft roll or marked as “uncollectable” under the ASDD category.

In Chandivali, Mumbai, where Muslims population sits at 27.6 per cent, an uncollectable rate of 41.44 per cent was documented. Pune Cantonment and Sion-Koliwada also recorded rates above 40 per cent of names excluded from the draft roll.

The report clarifies that the data does not confirm that a higher Muslim population in an area automatically means a higher percentage of voters excluded. In Malegaon Central, with the highest share of Muslim population among the 38 constituencies, 23.46 per cent of uncollectable voters were recorded.

In Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, with 53 per cent of the Muslim population, 42.31 per cent were documented as uncollectable. Bhiwandi East had the highest voter exclusion rate at 49.10 per cent, where Muslims make up 51 per cent of the population.

Some areas saw much lower rates of ASDD voters, such as Malkapur at 7.68 per cent, with a 20.4 per cent Muslim population; Raver 9.91 per cent, Balapur 11.71 per cent and Latur City 11.91 per cent.

Heightened awareness about SIR in Muslim localities

A community activist, Irfan Aqeel, said that the electoral exercise has heightened awareness among people in the Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods, with local organisations and community groups stepping up to help voters understand it better. “Hopefully, those whose names have not been carried forward will also be encouraged to get their documentation in order during the claims stage. Community groups are working towards this,” he said.

The report showed that if the 29.77 per cent combined exclusion rate from the 38 Muslim-heavy constituencies is used as the benchmark, 53 Assembly constituencies recorded an exclusion rate above or at the same level. 

Lower exclusion rates in SC/ST reserved seats

In contrast, the exclusion rates in the 29 Scheduled Caste (SC)-reserved seats were recorded at 19.61 per cent, lower than that recorded in Muslim-heavy seats. According to the data, just six SC seats were recorded with a rate above the 29.77 per cent mark. Pimpri recorded 41.22 per cent and Ambarnath 44.17 per cent, even as the remaining 23 were at lower rates.

Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats registered an even lower overall exclusion rate of 13.21 per cent. Among all 25 seats, only Boisar exceeded the 29.77 per cent benchmark, reaching 34.35 per cent.