Fears raised about fairness and impact on representation; community leaders seek answers and safeguards from election officials and the government
NEW DELHI — A draft of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Uttar Pradesh has brought out figures that have caused deep worry among Muslims, especially in districts where they form a large part of the population.
According to the draft, around 28.9 million names were removed from the voter list across the state. The data shows that the top ten Muslim-majority districts also saw a sharp fall in voter numbers, almost the same as the state average.
Muslims make up about 19.26 per cent of Uttar Pradesh’s population. There are ten districts where the Muslim population ranges from about 33 per cent to more than 50 per cent. In these areas, Muslim voters often play a key role in deciding election results.
Rampur has the highest Muslim population in the state at 50.57 per cent. The draft data shows that 18.29 per cent of voters were removed from the rolls there during the SIR process.
Moradabad, with a Muslim population of 47.12 per cent, saw 15.76 per cent of voters deleted. In Bijnor, where Muslims form 43.04 per cent of the population, 15.53 per cent of names were struck off.
Saharanpur has a Muslim population of 41.95 per cent and recorded a 16.73 per cent drop in voters. Muzaffarnagar, with 41.40 per cent Muslims, saw a 16.29 per cent reduction. Amroha, where Muslims make up about 40.78 per cent, saw a 13.22 per cent fall.
The sharpest drop among these districts was seen in Balrampur. With a Muslim population of 37.51 per cent, the district recorded a 25.98 per cent fall in voter numbers. Bareilly, where Muslims form 34.54 per cent of the population, saw 20.99 per cent of voters removed. Meerut recorded a 24.65 per cent drop, while Bahraich, with 33.53 per cent Muslims, saw a 20.44 per cent fall.
Overall, the ten Muslim-majority districts recorded an average voter drop of 18.75 per cent. This is almost the same as the state average of 18.70 per cent.
For many Muslims, this raises serious questions. “In areas where Muslims decide the outcome, such a large cut cannot be brushed aside as routine,” said Mohammad Arif, a social activist from Moradabad. “People fear that genuine voters have lost their right to vote.”
Several community leaders said the process has hit poor and marginalised Muslims the hardest. “Many daily wage workers and migrants were not at home when officials came,” said Shabnam Khan, a resident of Rampur. “Now their names are missing. Voting is our basic right.”
The concern grows when the data from non-Muslim-majority districts is also seen. Lucknow tops the list with nearly 30 per cent of voters deleted. Ghaziabad saw a 28.83 per cent drop. Kanpur recorded 25.50 per cent, Prayagraj 24.64 per cent, Gautam Buddha Nagar 23.98 per cent, Agra 23.25 per cent, Hapur 22.30 per cent, and Shahjahanpur 21.76 per cent.
Muslim leaders say that while the figures look similar on paper, the effect is different on the ground. “When minorities lose voters in areas where they already face pressure, the damage is much bigger,” said Advocate Saeed Ahmad from Meerut. “This weakens our voice in a system where we already struggle for fair space.”
Opposition parties have also raised doubts. A senior leader of a regional party said, “The Election Commission must explain why so many names were removed. People want clear answers, not silence.”
Election officials have said the draft list is not final and that there is time for claims and objections. Still, many Muslims fear that lack of awareness and paperwork will stop thousands from getting their names back.
“As elections come closer, trust matters,” said Prof Irfan Ali, a political analyst. “If Muslims feel targeted or ignored, it hurts faith in the democratic process.”
For now, Muslim groups across Uttar Pradesh are urging people to check their names and file objections. They also want the authorities to act with care and fairness, so no citizen is kept away from the ballot box.
