New Delhi: The Union government for the first time acknowledged on Thursday (July 30) that the United Nations Special Rapporteurs have written to them regarding the large-scale removal of names from voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The letter dated May 1, 2026, flagged how the Muslim community was particularly impacted by the SIR process in states like West Bengal. It was made public earlier this month.In a written response, Union law and justice minister Arjun Ram Meghwal informed Rajya Sabha, “It has come to the notice that the United Nations Special Rapporteur, has highlighted the large-scale removal of the names from electoral rolls through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process led by the Election Commission of India (ECI), particularly in the state of West Bengal.”“Further, hon’ble Supreme Court of India has upheld the ECI’s power to conduct SIR. Over the years, rapid urbanisation, migration for education or employment, and other socio-economic changes have led to frequent shifting of residence. Many electors register in a new constituency and their names continue to be on the prior rolls also, resulting in duplicate or incorrect entries. In order to address these issues, SIR is carried out by following the due process of law without prejudice to any group or community,” he added, while responding to a question by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Rajathi on the issue.Also read: ‘Conduct an Open, Online Public Hearing’: Forum for Electoral Integrity to NHRC on SIR IrregularitiesThe letter sent jointly by three UN rapporteurs –Nicolas Levrat, special rapporteur on minority issues, Irene Khan, special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and Nazila Ghanea, special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief – had questioned how deletions were justified, noting that minor spelling inconsistencies in documents, common across India due to “administrative challenges” were used as grounds for striking names off the list. They raised alarm over the ECI’s use of AI to flag “irregularities” in voter data saying that it raised concerns about transparency, errors and potential bias.Importantly, the rapporteurs flagged that “statements were reportedly made by politicians and senior public figures of the government, which appear to reflect and reinforce a pattern of discriminatory rhetoric directed at Muslim, Bengali, and other minority communities”. The letter also singled out Nandigram in West Bengal as an especially troubling case where “95% of the deleted voters were Muslims, even though Muslims only make up 25% of the constituency’s electorate,” they wrote.Further, the rapporteurs had argued that “discriminatory rhetoric by politicians and senior public figures” could amount to incitement to discrimination under Article 20(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which India ratified in 1979, and may run counter to India’s obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).They sought answers from the Union government on the steps taken to ensure that the implementation of the SIR process, including the administration of the claims and objection period, complied with India’s obligations under international human rights law and standards.Among other things, the rapporteurs also asked for information on measures undertaken by the Union government to eliminate any discriminatory treatment of minorities, including Muslims and persons of Bengali descent, as well as other minorities, with regard to the right to vote and to choose their representatives freely.However, the minister said that the ECI had routinely clarified that it carries out “internal quality checks at each stage of SIR”.“Grievances received during the claims and objections period are examined and, where found valid, appropriate action is taken before finalisation of the roll. Even after the finalisation of the electoral rolls, appeal can be preferred with the concerned District Magistrate and thereafter with the concerned Chief Electoral Officer in accordance with section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950,” he wrote in the reply.