Fresh Bengal Elections Would Be Warranted If Mass Deletions Affected Constituency-Level Results: Ex-EC Member Ashok Lavasa

Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has stated that if mass deletions impacted results in individual West Bengal constituencies, a new Assembly election would be justified. In an interview with 'The Free Press Journal,' Lavasa revealed that 60 lakh people flagged for logical inconsistencies were put through adjudication. The Election Commission (ECI) had adopted a procedure they knew wouldn't be completed in time due to the proximity of the elections, Lavasa explained.

The Supreme Court appointed 700 judicial officers who determined 33 lakh of the initial 60 lakh to be incorrectly flagged, restoring them. However, 27 lakh remained excluded.

Lavasa noted that out of the 27.6 lakh affected individuals, 22.5 lakh had appealed. The appellate tribunals have deliberated on just 1.26 lakh cases, with 93% of those finding the deletions to be erroneous. At this rate, Lavasa estimated that remaining cases would take approximately 12 years to resolve. He called for the Supreme Court to investigate the impact of mass deletions on election results in West Bengal's individual constituencies.

"If a link is established, fresh elections there would be warranted," he emphasized. The 22 lakh appeals represent about 82% of the 27 lakh voters whose names were deleted and put under adjudication prior to the Assembly elections. This case was brought before the Supreme Court after the Election Commission submitted these figures in response to an application filed by Derek O'Brien, an MP from the Trinamool Congress faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.