The political atmosphere in West Bengal has reached a boiling point just weeks before the state goes to the polls. What began as a religious celebration on Saturday morning quickly transformed into a high-stakes electoral battlefield as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) traded personal insults over the sensitive issue of infiltration.
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Also Read |Tamil Nadu Voter List Purge: 97 Lakh Names Deleted in SIR Phase 1
The “Infiltrator” Remark: Context & Quotes
Speaking at the Red Road Eid gathering, Mamata Banerjee accused the Prime Minister of hypocrisy regarding international relations versus domestic policy.
“You go to Saudi Arabia and shake hands… you go to Dubai and embrace them. But in India, you call them infiltrators. You’re the biggest infiltrator,” Banerjee alleged.
She further claimed that the central government is attempting to impose “undeclared President’s Rule” by using central agencies and the Election Commission to control the state’s governance.
The Numbers: 2026 SIR Data & Deletions
The core of this dispute lies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the first such exhaustive cleanup of the Bengal voter list since 2002.
| Metric | Figure (as of March 2026) |
| Total Electorate (Pre-SIR) | 7.66 Crore |
| Total Electorate (Post-SIR) | 7.04 Crore |
| Total Names Deleted | 63.66 Lakh (8.3%) |
| Names Under Adjudication | 60.06 Lakh |
The BJP has hailed this as a victory for national security. BJP National President Nitin Nabin claimed that “more than 50 lakh infiltrators” were among those removed. Conversely, the TMC has approached the Supreme Court, alleging that the deletions target specific “communities and creeds” to alter the outcome of the 294-seat Assembly.
Also Read |Tamil Nadu Voter List Purge: 97 Lakh Names Deleted in SIR Phase 1
Demographics: Religion & Population Projections
Demographic shifts are a central theme of the 2026 campaign. Projections for West Bengal in 2026 show a diverse but shifting landscape:
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Total Projected Population: 10.62 Crore.
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Hinduism: ~70.54% (7.49 Crore).
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Islam: ~27.01% (2.87 Crore).
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Others (Christianity, Buddhism, etc.): ~2.45%.
Research from the Journal of Global Economy (January 2026) indicates that while the Hindu population remains the majority, the Muslim population growth rate has historically been higher, a point often cited by the BJP to argue that “demographic change” is being fueled by illegal immigration from Bangladesh.
Reality Check
The claim that 50 lakh “infiltrators” were removed is a political interpretation. While 63.66 lakh names were indeed deleted, the NTA and Election Commission officially categorize these as “Dead, Migrated, or Duplicate” voters. Proving “illegal citizenship” for 5 million people via a simple roll revision is technically impossible without a full National Register of Citizens (NRC). However, the massive scale of deletions—nearly 1 in 10 voters—is unprecedented and will undoubtedly impact the margins in close-contest districts like North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad.
The Loopholes
The BJP claims the SIR is about “clean rolls.” In fact, this is a “Technical Loophole”—by using a “PDF to CSV” conversion process that the TMC alleges was glitchy, the ECI removed millions of names, putting the burden of proof on the voter to get reinstated via the new Appellate Tribunals. Still, the “Sovereignty Loophole” remains; the TMC argues that since the border is guarded by the BSF (under the Home Ministry), any infiltration is a failure of the Centre, not the State.
Also Read |Tamil Nadu Voter List Purge: 97 Lakh Names Deleted in SIR Phase 1
What This Means for You
If you are a voter in West Bengal, check your status immediately. * The “Adjudication” List: If your name was among the 60.06 lakh placed under “judicial scrutiny,” you must visit the newly formed Appellate Tribunals before April 10.
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Voting Dates: Mark your calendar for April 23 (Phase 1) or April 29 (Phase 2).
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Identity: Carry your original EPIC card and an alternative ID (Aadhaar/Passport) as security checks at booths are expected to be the most stringent in the state’s history.
What’s Next
Expect the first supplementary voter list to be published this Monday, March 23. Then, look for a major rally by PM Modi in North Bengal by March 28 to counter the “infiltrator” tag. Finally, expect the 19 Appellate Tribunals to work 24/7 to clear the 60 lakh pending cases before the first phase of polling begins.
Also Read |Tamil Nadu Voter List Purge: 97 Lakh Names Deleted in SIR Phase 1
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