West Bengal Voter List Cut by 91 Lakh Ahead of Polls, ECI Says ‘Eligible Voters Can Appeal’
ANI
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released its final Supplementary List following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, triggering a major shift in the state’s voter base just days before Assembly elections.
According to official data, the total number of voters has declined from 7.66 crore to 6.77 crore, marking a reduction of nearly 91 lakh voters, or 11.62 per cent.
The poll body confirmed that 54 per cent of the 60,06,675 names under adjudication were deleted after scrutiny. Border districts including Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, and North 24 Parganas saw large-scale deletions.
Nadia recorded the highest percentage drop, while Hooghly saw over 70 per cent of applicants removed during the process.
The revision exercise had earlier drawn objections from political parties, including Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress.
The Supreme Court of India declined to extend the revision timeline, allowing the process to conclude under judicial supervision involving over 700 officers.
A senior ECI official, speaking to The Indian Express, said that individuals whose names have been removed still have legal recourse.
“Voters whose names have been deleted after adjudication can approach the designated tribunals for further review and necessary correction,” the official stated.
The large-scale revision is expected to influence electoral outcomes, particularly in border and minority-dominated districts where deletions were substantial in absolute numbers. The updated rolls are likely to reshape constituency-level dynamics.
With the electoral rolls now frozen, the focus shifts to polling day, while affected voters may pursue legal remedies. The development adds a significant layer of complexity to an already closely watched election.
Our Final Thoughts
The revision underscores the importance of maintaining accurate electoral rolls, but also highlights the need for transparency and accessibility in grievance redressal. As the election approaches, the impact of this decision will be closely monitored across political and social lines.