RARE PHOTOS: 12 | Vintage Vibes

Deleted despite documents: Inside West Bengal’s ‘political’ SIR

The run-up to elections in West Bengal has been anything but normal. The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has led to the exclusion of nearly 90 lakh voters from the electoral rolls. Of these, 27 lakh were excluded after being placed “under adjudication” over “logical discrepancies” in their documents,…

Newslaundry · Apr 19

Appellate tribunals or a black hole? Where the Bengal SIR goes to bury a ‘second chance’

The Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation, which houses all 19 appellate tribunals set up by the Election Commission in West Bengal, is completely restricted. CAPF and West Bengal Police guard the gates, and no one is allowed in unless the judges have formally summoned them.

Newslaundry · Apr 18

Bengal’s migrant workers caught between ‘ghuspaithiya’ politics and SIR deletions

Md Anikul Hoque, a migrant labourer from Samserganj in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, has waited through many crises. He stood in queues for food, water, and cash during demonetisation in 2016. He worked through the Covid-19 lockdown inside sealed buildings in Odisha “like a thief in a prison” waiting to…

Newslaundry · Apr 17

'PM Modi should be invited': BNP's diplomatic tone ahead of Tarique Rahman's swearing-in

Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan suggested inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in ceremony of BNP chief Tarique Rahman, who is set to become the next Prime Minister. The BNP secured a landslide victory in the general elections, marking their return to power after nearly…

The Times of India · Feb 14

BNP set to return to power after 20 years; Jamaat’s bid falls short — Bangladesh election highlights

Bangladesh's Nationalist Party appears poised for a landslide victory in the recent parliamentary elections, with preliminary results showing a commanding lead. Party chief Tarique Rahman is expected to become the next Prime Minister. However, the main opposition, the Awami League, has denounced the polls as a 'well-planned farce' and alleged…

The Times of India · Feb 13

'Over 50% polling stations centres': How Bangladesh is preparing for first election since Hasina ouster

Bangladesh is holding parliamentary elections amidst unprecedented security following the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina. Over half of polling centres are deemed risk-prone, prompting a massive deployment of nearly 9.58 lakh security personnel. For the first time, drones and body-worn cameras will monitor the process, aiming for a peaceful…

The Times of India · Feb 11

‘How can you remove names without checking?’: Inside Prayagraj’s battle over voter lists

The release of the draft electoral rolls under UP’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has left many residents of Prayagraj’s western and southern assembly constituencies anxious. Since January 11, the Election Commission has set up claims and objections booths across the city.

Newslaundry · Jan 22

SC’s baffling bail order rattled the press. Voter rolls exercise should terrify it

It is rare for India’s mainstream media to speak with one voice on an issue that makes the government uncomfortable. It is remarkable, therefore, that almost every major newspaper made strong editorial comments about the recent Supreme Court ruling granting bail to five of those implicated in the 2020 Delhi…

Newslaundry · Jan 9

How we broke the voter roll story before it became a national conversation

More than a year ago, when I began looking into possible manipulation of voter rolls, the first person to help me understand it was Dr SY Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India. 

Newslaundry · Dec 26, 2025

Councilman's Threatening Outside Counsel Law Firm into Firing Attorney May Violate First Amendment

"A Nashville city councilman threatened to withdraw business from a law firm, which served as the city's outside counsel, due to the position one of its attorneys took as the chair of the county election commission on a tax referendum."

Reason · Nov 26, 2025