WB Voter List May Drop by 68 Lakh After Revision

Kolkata: The number of registered voters in West Bengal may reduce by at least 68 lakh compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, according to Election Commission (EC) officials.

The final electoral roll, prepared after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR), is scheduled to be published on February 28.

The draft voter list, released on December 16, recorded around 7.1 crore electors. During the revision process, more than 58 lakh names marked as absent, shifted, deceased, or duplicate (ASD) were removed. Officials indicated that nearly 10 lakh additional names are likely to be excluded before the final publication.

Hearings and Verification Process

An EC official said that about 1.5 crore voters were flagged in the draft list due to discrepancies or unmapped details. These individuals were asked to attend in-person hearings for verification.

However, around 3.6 lakh voters reportedly could not be served notices because booth-level officers were unable to trace them. Officials stated that these names will be directly removed from the final roll.

In addition, approximately 5.2 lakh voters who received notices did not appear before Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) or Assistant EROs by the specified deadline. Their names are also set to be excluded.

After document verification during the hearings, another 1.6 lakh names were marked as “ineligible,” according to officials.

Overall, authorities estimate that at least 10.4 lakh more electors will be removed from the draft list before the final voter roll is published.

Scrutiny of Uploaded Documents

During a recent review meeting with district officials and observers, the Election Commission reportedly highlighted cases where incorrect or unclear documents had been uploaded and verified in the system.

According to officials, some entries included blank pages, newspaper clippings, or unclear images. These cases will undergo further scrutiny during a super-checking process. Authorities indicated that the number of ineligible voters could increase depending on the findings.

Fresh Applications and Corrections

Between December 16 and January 19, the Commission received around 7.4 lakh applications (Form 6 and 6A) from individuals seeking new voter enrolment in West Bengal.

Additionally, 42,501 Form 7 applications were filed for deletion of names due to death or change of address. More than 3.4 lakh Form 8 applications were submitted for corrections or updates in voter ID details.

Officials said all pending applications will be processed before the final electoral roll is released.

Timeline Before Final Roll

As per the EC’s schedule, documents submitted during hearings must be verified by February 21. All related cases are also expected to be resolved by that date.

The rationalisation of polling stations is scheduled to be completed by February 25. The final voter list will then be published on February 28.

If the current estimates hold, West Bengal’s total voter count could see a reduction of nearly 9% compared to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Election authorities have maintained that the revision process aims to ensure accuracy and transparency in the electoral roll ahead of upcoming polls.