Election Commission of India to Remove 10 Lakh Voters in West Bengal Election Roll Cleanup

Major Voter Roll Clean-up in West Bengal Amid Special Intensive Revision (SIR)

KalimNews, Kolkata, November 26, 2025 : In a significant move to update and streamline West Bengal's electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched one of the state's most extensive voter-roll clean-up exercises in over two decades. As part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the ECI estimates that over 10 lakh names will be removed from the draft voter list. These deletions stem from a combination of deceased voters, duplicate entries, and individuals who have permanently relocated or are otherwise untraceable.

The ongoing SIR process, which began on November 4, 2025, is a comprehensive effort to rectify irregularities and ensure the accuracy of the state's voter list ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. As of now, approximately 4.55 crore forms have been digitised, and the distribution and collection process is still underway. Election authorities have revealed that nearly 7.64 crore forms have been distributed across the state, covering 99.75% of the electorate.

The data collected so far indicates that around 6.5 lakh voters, identified as deceased, will be removed from the list. Another 3.5 lakh entries are categorised as duplicates, voters who have shifted to other states, or those who could not be traced despite repeated verification attempts. Sources within the Election Commission say the number of deletions could increase as digitisation and field verification continue.

The voter roll clean-up is especially significant in the border districts of North and South Dinajpur, which have long been flagged for disproportionately high voter growth. A preliminary analysis suggests that these districts, which border Bangladesh, have recorded the largest spikes in voter enrolment. Between 2002, when the last Special Intensive Revision was conducted, and 2025, West Bengal has seen a 66% rise in its voter base, increasing from 4.58 crore to 7.63 crore. Notably, nine of the top 10 districts with the sharpest increases in voter registration lie along the India-Bangladesh border.

Among these districts, Uttar Dinajpur recorded a staggering 105.49% increase in voter enrolment, followed by Malda (94.58%), Murshidabad (87.65%), and South 24 Parganas (83.30%). These figures have raised concerns within the Election Commission, which has noted that such a sharp rise is "impossible to justify through natural population growth alone."

West Bengal's voter growth is now under close scrutiny, as it significantly outpaces that of other central states. For comparison, Uttar Pradesh's voter list grew by 39.1%, Madhya Pradesh by 47.2%, and Maharashtra by 44.8% over the same period. Bengal's 65.8% growth rate has been flagged as an anomaly, prompting the Election Commission to investigate the reasons behind the abnormal surge.

The issues with the voter rolls in West Bengal are not new. Officials have long cited inadequate deletions during routine revisions, with Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) often failing to remove the names of deceased voters or those who have moved away. The last intensive revision in 2002 removed over 28 lakh names, and authorities expect a similar, if not higher, number to be deleted during this revision. A significant push to update the rolls came from a recent collaboration with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which identified nearly 47 lakh deceased individuals in the state. Of these, 34 lakh were Aadhaar cardholders, and 13 lakh were non-Aadhaar cardholders.

As the Special Intensive Revision continues, the Election Commission is working diligently to process millions of enumeration forms and conduct on-the-ground verification. The digitisation process is expected to be completed soon, and the final number of deletions will be confirmed once the draft voters' list is published on December 9, 2025.

Meanwhile, West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has urged voters who have yet to submit their duly filled enumeration forms to do so by December 4, 2025. After this date, any unsubmitted forms will be automatically deleted from the voter list. "The deadline will not be extended," Agarwal emphasised during a press conference, urging all eligible voters to ensure their participation in the process.

The SIR process has also faced challenges, including reports of three BLOs losing their lives, reportedly linked to the workload involved in the revision exercise. The Election Commission has received detailed reports from the respective district magistrates, and CEO Agarwal expressed appreciation for the tireless efforts of the BLOs, who are crucial to the success of the revision process. "The BLOs are the real heroes in this exercise," he said.

The voter roll cleanup through this Special Intensive Revision is expected to reshape the electoral landscape in several districts. As the process moves forward, the Election Commission's commitment to maintaining accurate, up-to-date electoral records stands central to ensuring free and fair elections in West Bengal. The final outcome of this revision will provide clarity on the state's true electoral profile and set the stage for the 2026 Assembly elections. (With inputs from ANI and UNI)