ElectoralRoll – West Bengal Publishes Revised Voter Lists in Phases
ElectoralRoll – The Election Commission has begun releasing the revised electoral rolls across West Bengal, marking a significant step in the state’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision process.
Bankura Records Significant Drop in Voter Count
The first set of updated rolls was displayed on Saturday in several districts, including Bankura and Cooch Behar. In Bankura, officials confirmed that nearly 1.18 lakh names have been removed since the revision exercise started on November 4 last year.
When the process began, Bankura had 30,33,830 registered voters. By the time draft rolls were issued on December 16, that figure had declined to 29,01,009. Following hearings and verification procedures, an additional 4,000 names were struck off. At the same time, several thousand new applications submitted under Form 6 for fresh enrolment were approved after scrutiny.
With these adjustments, the district’s final electoral roll now stands at approximately 29.15 lakh voters. A senior district official said the overall net reduction reflects the outcome of deletions and fresh inclusions combined. Bankura is regarded as a politically sensitive district where both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress maintain strong support bases.
Reasons Behind Deletions and Additions
According to Election Commission officials, names were removed primarily due to reasons such as death, migration, duplication, or inability to trace individuals at their registered addresses. Each case, they said, underwent verification before action was taken.
Meanwhile, eligible residents who had applied for inclusion were added to the rolls after documentation checks and field-level confirmation. Authorities stressed that the revision aims to ensure accuracy and transparency in voter data ahead of the next assembly elections.
Statewide Figures Show Sharp Reduction
Across West Bengal, the draft rolls published on December 16 reflected a notable decline in the electorate. The number of voters fell from 7.66 crore — based on entries recorded up to August 2025 — to 7.08 crore after the first round of scrutiny. More than 58 lakh names were removed during that initial phase.
Officials explained that the publication classifies electors into three categories: approved, deleted, and under adjudication or consideration. Around 60 lakh voters currently fall into the adjudication category, meaning their status will be decided through supplementary lists to be issued in phases.
The Special Intensive Revision, the first comprehensive statewide update since 2002, began with the distribution of enumeration forms on November 4. The Commission took 116 days to complete the provisional stage and release what it described as a “final but dynamic” roll, noting that further corrections are still possible.
Hearings and Pending Cases Continue
During the second phase, hearings were conducted for nearly 1.67 crore electors. Of these, about 1.36 crore were flagged for logical discrepancies, while 31 lakh cases lacked proper mapping details. Officials said the adjudication of these cases remains ongoing, and additional updates will follow in supplementary publications.
Reports from several other districts are still awaited, as the roll publication is being carried out in stages across the state.
Public Rush to Verify Names
The release of the updated lists triggered heavy footfall at district election offices and cyber cafes. In districts such as Bankura, North 24 Parganas, and parts of Kolkata, printed copies were displayed on notice boards from early morning, drawing long lines of residents.
Many voters were seen scanning printed sheets or taking photographs of the lists on their mobile phones. Others approached officials for assistance in locating their entries. At several district magistrate and sub-divisional offices, queues stretched outside as people waited to confirm whether their names appeared under the approved, deleted, or pending categories.
With the rolls not yet fully accessible online through official portals and mobile applications, smaller computer centres reported a sharp increase in visitors. Residents carrying voter identity cards and acknowledgement slips waited patiently for their turn, reflecting both concern and heightened political interest ahead of the upcoming state elections.