India Under Scrutiny: Voter Purge Attempts in Bihar and Deadly Crackdown on Leh Protesters Raise Human Rights Alarms

India is facing mounting criticism over two incidents that spotlight the fraught intersection of political control and civil liberties: mass attempts to remove Muslim voters from electoral rolls in Bihar and the use of lethal force against demonstrators in Leh, Ladakh.

In Bihar’s Dhaka constituency, an investigation by The Reporters’ Collective revealed efforts to strike nearly 80,000 Muslim voters from electoral rolls, Maktoob Media revealed. One objection submitted to election authorities bore the BJP’s state letterhead, alleging that all 78,384 voters from the community were illegal immigrants. Another objection was filed in the name of the personal assistant of a local BJP MLA.

India’s Representation of the People Act criminalizes wrongful deletion of voters, yet the Election Commission has not initiated action. Officials have stated that the petitions will be reviewed during routine revisions of the electoral rolls, but rights groups warn the scale and nature of the objections suggest systemic targeting of minorities. Civil society organizations argue that such measures undermine democratic participation by eroding the rights of Muslim citizens, particularly in regions where their votes carry electoral weight.

Local residents reported that many Muslims were unaware of the names submitted against them, or the accusations of non-citizenship. The ERO acknowledges receiving the submissions and says verification will occur during regular roll revision, but has not confirmed details of any mass deletions.

Dhaka is a closely contested assembly seat in Bihar’s East Champaran district. In 2020, the BJP won the seat by just over 10,000 votes. Analysts warn that wrongful deletion of thousands of voters could significantly affect the results.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on Indian authorities to promptly and independently investigate the use of live fire during protests in Leh, Ladakh, after at least four deaths and over 50 injuries. The protests, driven by demands for statehood and constitutional protections for land and jobs, turned violent with vehicles and a ruling party office set on fire. Police claimed self-defense and imposed curfews and internet restrictions. Ladakhi groups have long sought greater autonomy and protections under India’s Sixth Schedule, citing concerns over federal control since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019. Amnesty stressed that firearms should be a last resort and urged an inquiry into whether less-lethal options were exhausted and if the use of force was necessary and proportional.