Worried Large Number of Voters Marked “Deleted” or “Under Adjudication” in West Bengal’s Electoral Roll Revision

KalimNews, March 9, 2026 : The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 of the electoral rolls in West Bengal has triggered widespread concern after a significant number of voters were marked either “Deleted” or placed “Under Adjudication.” Many affected individuals claim they and their families have been residents of the state for generations—some for centuries—yet now face uncertainty about their voting status.

The revision exercise, conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), began in November 2025 with the stated aim of removing duplicate, untraceable, shifted, or deceased voters from the electoral rolls. However, the scale of the changes has drawn attention from citizens, civil society groups, and political observers.

The ECI confirmed that about 1.21 crore voters have been categorized either as “Deleted” or “Under Adjudication.” Out of these, 60,06,675 voters in West Bengal are currently listed as “Under Adjudication.”

According to official data, more than 63.66 lakh names—about 8.3 percent of the electorate—have been marked as “Deleted” since the beginning of the revision process.

Officials explained that many cases placed under “Under Adjudication” were flagged due to “logical discrepancies” in enumeration forms. While these voters have not been permanently removed, their inclusion in the electoral roll is currently pending review by judicial authorities.

However, the large number of cases awaiting adjudication has raised concerns among voters who say they are unsure whether they will be able to exercise their democratic rights in future elections.

Election officials stated that more than 58 lakh enumeration forms were not received during the exercise. These cases and after verification includes individuals identified as deceased, shifted, or duplicate electors.

Out of the 7.08 crore names that appeared in the draft electoral roll, around 6.4 crore have so far been marked as “approved.”

Some cases were reportedly spared from deletion after verification. Officials indicated that around one lakh voters were restored after submitting the required documents.

At the same time, some voters were unable to attend hearings because they were working abroad or in distant locations, making it difficult for them to appear before authorities within the stipulated time.

The draft roll compiled across 294 Assembly Constituencies in West Bengal recorded the following figures as of 16 December 2025: Male: 3,61,99,391, Female: 3,46,15,837,Third Gender: 1,402, and Total Electors: 7,08,16,630.

During the revision process, additional voters who applied through Form 6 and Form 6A and were verified as genuine were added: Male: 89,445, Female: 92,583, Third Gender: 8 and Total: 1,82,036.

Corrections made through Form 8 resulted in: Male: 1,953, Female: 4,717, Third Gender: 1 and Total: 6,671.

Meanwhile, deletion requests submitted through Form 7 resulted in the removal of: Male: 2,68,147, Female: 2,77,877, Third Gender: 29 and Total: 5,46,053.

A particularly striking aspect of the revision is the number of voters whose cases remain “Under Adjudication.” Current figures indicate 32,11,770 males, 27,94,675 females, 230 third gender totalling 60,06,675 are under "Adjudication".

According to the ECI, if these cases are approved by appointed judicial officers, their names will be added later through supplementary lists.

After consolidating all additions and deletions, as of February 28, 2026, the electorate in West Bengal now stands at Male: 3,28,10,872, Female: 3,16,40,585, Third Gender: 1,152 and Total Electors: 6,44,52,609.

Despite the official explanations, several reports from the field indicate procedural challenges during the verification process.

In many instances, cases that had already been resolved were reopened and sent again for adjudication, even though judicial directions reportedly suggested that only pending cases should follow that route.

Field verification—traditionally considered a crucial step in electoral roll verification—was reportedly reduced in several areas. Instead, document verification processes changed multiple times.

At different stages, the required documents reportedly shifted from roll extracts to Aadhaar verification, followed by additional proof of parentage or residence.

Frequent updates to the online portal also created technical obstacles. Some officials reported that once cases were returned from the District Election Officer login to the Electoral Registration Officer login, the portal no longer allowed the upload of newly available documents.

As a result, some voters found themselves stuck in what observers described as administrative or digital limbo—neither confirmed nor rejected.

Voters and observers have also pointed out certain inconsistencies in the electoral rolls published on 28 February 2026.

Examples cited include cases where one sibling appears in the voter list while another sibling is marked as “Deleted” or placed “Under Adjudication.” Another instance involves the names of sons and daughters appearing in the roll while the names of their parents are either deleted or pending adjudication. Such cases have raised concerns among families who say they have been residents of the same localities for decades.

A controversy has also emerged in which two soldier brothers from the same family, serving in the Indian Army, were reportedly placed “Under Adjudication” despite submitting valid documents.

One of the affected jawans questioned why their names were placed on the uncertainty list despite submitting what he described as “100 per cent valid documents.” Not only soldiers but names of PSC/ UPSC officers like BDO, lawmakers, Politicians and their family members were either deleted or put under adjudication.

These instances indicate that such cases reflect a broader issue in which even soldiers serving the nation were not spared. Incidents of this category have sparked strong local reactions, and many residents are waiting to see whether the authorities will correct the alleged error.

Authorities have advised voters to verify their names in the electoral roll and submit applications if required through: Form 6 / 6A for inclusion, Form 8 for correction and Form 7 for deletion. Applications can be filed through the official voter portal, the ECINET mobile app, or through the local Booth Level Officer (BLO).

Under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, voters may also file appeals against decisions made by the Electoral Registration Officer.

While the revision process was intended to improve the accuracy of the electoral roll, the large number of voters marked “Deleted” or placed “Under Adjudication” has created uncertainty among many residents of the state.

Several families have expressed concern that individuals whose families have lived in the region for generations now face the possibility of being temporarily excluded from the electoral process.

As the adjudication process continues, many voters across West Bengal are waiting for clarity on whether their names will be restored to the rolls and their right to vote fully protected.