ECI’s Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal Reveals Millions of Anomalies in Electoral Rolls

Age discrepancies, implausible parentage claims, gender mismatches and cross-border irregularities emerge during meticulous verification exercise

Agencies, Kolkata, January 22, 2026: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted unilaterally by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in West Bengal has brought to light a staggering number of anomalies, prompting renewed scrutiny of voter records across the state. Officials have disclosed that logical discrepancies detected during the process are estimated to affect nearly 94.49 lakh cases, underscoring the scale of irregularities in the electoral rolls.

Among the most striking findings are age-related inconsistencies, with over 4.74 lakh electors recorded as being less than 15 years younger than their parents, while 8.41 lakh voters exhibit a gap of 50 years or more with their fathers. In addition, nearly three lakh cases involve electors whose age difference with their grandparents is less than 40 years. Exceptional instances have also been reported, including a 64-year-old father whose sons are aged 60 and 69, highlighting extreme anomalies in age records.

The revision exercise also revealed implausible claims of parentage. Cases where individuals were linked to more than six children totalled 23 to 24 lakh, including some extreme examples such as a father reportedly having 310 sons and another with 389 children. There were also 17 senior citizens who, despite being single, were listed as fathers of multiple children. In one instance, seven sons were recorded under the same father, emphasising the urgent need for verification.

Documentary mismatches have been another major source of anomalies. Many cases involved inconsistencies in parents’ names, including missing middle names such as ‘Kumar’ or ‘Lal,’ or variations in spelling. In several instances, individuals were listed as parents without their knowledge, affecting approximately 24 lakh cases. Border districts have emerged as particularly sensitive, where verification uncovered cases of Bangladeshi citizens falsely claiming Indian nationals as their parents.

Gender mismatches were recorded in 13 lakh cases, though officials clarified that most of these arose from clerical errors and have been largely resolved, with affected voters receiving waivers from appearing at hearings. The ECI has emphasised that all affected electors are being issued notices and are required to present relevant documents before the Electoral Registration Officer to confirm their eligibility and correct the records.

An official from the Commission stated that the discrepancies ranged from minor errors in dates of birth to variations in recorded parental details, necessitating extensive re-verification to ensure no genuine voter faces harassment. In many cases, initial mismatches were clarified after scrutiny, while extreme anomalies, particularly those involving age differences and multiple progeny, continue to undergo detailed verification.

In particular, age-related irregularities include 4.75 lakh voters being recorded as just 15 years younger — or even younger — than their fathers, 8.41 lakh cases with a gap of 50 years or more, and approximately three lakh instances where the age difference with grandparents is under 40 years. Such anomalies are being carefully investigated, with a second round of verification ongoing for cases where initial findings are inconclusive.

The Commission’s officials have reiterated that the SIR process aims to strengthen the integrity of the electoral rolls while safeguarding the rights of genuine voters. Special attention is being given to ensure that cross-border irregularities, clerical errors, and implausible familial linkages are accurately addressed. The ongoing exercise has highlighted the scale of discrepancies in voter data, emphasising the critical