During the 2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttarakhand, districts with higher proportions of Muslim residents experienced greater intensity of voter deletions. Analysis across all 70 Assembly constituencies identified over 800,000 affected electors, with the number of deletions in 45 constituencies exceeding the victory margins from the 2022 Assembly elections. Women comprised a slight majority of those affected, and the most common reasons for deletion included “Permanently Shifted,” “Untraceable/Absent,” “Death,” and “Already Enrolled.”According to Maktoob Media, the Sabar Institute’s analysis found a strong statistical association between the share of Muslim population in a district and the intensity of voter deletions, with a Pearson correlation of 0.54 and a Spearman correlation of 0.84. The report also noted that surname analysis among deleted electors included names such as Ali, Khan, Ahamad, Begam, Husain, and Jahan, though religion was not used as a direct identifier.As highlighted by recent coverage, the Sabar Institute emphasised that these statistical patterns do not, by themselves, establish discrimination or administrative misconduct. Instead, they indicate areas requiring further scrutiny, transparency, and safeguards to prevent wrongful exclusion, especially for vulnerable groups such as Muslims, women, migrants, and the elderly.Analysis showed that in several constituencies, the number of voter deletions was higher than the margin of victory in the previous election, raising concerns about the potential impact on electoral outcomes. The Sabar Institute also found that multidimensional poverty had a weaker correlation with deletion intensity, while the share of Scheduled Caste population showed a negative association.“The data deserves scrutiny. The patterns deserve answers,” the Sabar Institute stated, calling for independent research into voter deletions, appeals, restoration processes, and demographic patterns.Further reporting indicated that women made up 52% of the affected electors, with men accounting for 48% and 40 third-gender electors also impacted. The most common deletion categories were “Permanently Shifted” (57.7%), “Untraceable/Absent” (20%), “Death” (14.9%), and “Already Enrolled” (7.4%).At the end of the SIR process, opinion analysis revealed that the judiciary’s approach, particularly the Supreme Court’s May 2026 ruling, placed significant trust in the Election Commission of India’s procedures. Critics argue that this has enabled the possibility of exclusion for eligible voters, especially among marginalised groups, by not sufficiently prioritising inclusion and representation.Concerns were also raised regarding the broader context of Islamophobic rhetoric, such as the use of terms like “Land Jihad,” which have contributed to the normalisation of exclusion and dispossession of Muslims in India. The language used in official and public discourse can influence perceptions and acceptance of such exclusionary practices.“This is the quiet, unglamorous power of language: not to describe an event, but to prepare a public to accept it before it happens,” the analysis noted, highlighting the impact of terminology on public sentiment and policy acceptance.In addition, reporting indicated that in several constituencies, large numbers of objections to voter names were filed by individuals linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party, with all targeted voters being Muslim. This pattern was observed in constituencies such as Kichha, Gadarpur, Khatima, Nanakmatta, and Rudrapur.At the end of the review, the Sabar Institute called for greater transparency, accountability, and accessible appeals processes to ensure that eligible voters are not wrongfully excluded and that the integrity of the electoral process is maintained.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.