West Bengal’s voter base turned to 6.77 crore—a decline of 11.62% from the pre-SIR figure

Agencies, Kolkata, April 8, 2026 : In a historic revision of its electoral rolls, West Bengal has seen the removal of nearly 91 lakh voters ahead of the Assembly elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) conducted the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list under Supreme Court supervision, introducing for the first time a category of voters “under adjudication,” whose eligibility was scrutinized by judicial officers.

Before the SIR process began in October 2025, West Bengal had approximately 7.66 crore registered voters. During the draft roll revision in December 2025, around 58.20 lakh names were deleted due to being marked dead, shifted, absent, or duplicate. The final roll published on February 28, 2026, saw deletions rise to 63.66 lakh.

In addition, about 60.06 lakh voters were placed in the “under adjudication” category for further verification. Following judicial review, 27.16 lakh of these voters were declared ineligible and removed from the rolls on April 7, 2026. These exclusions, combined with prior deletions, brought the total reduction in the electorate to 90.83 lakh, shrinking West Bengal’s voter base to 6.77 crore—a decline of 11.62% from the pre-SIR figure.

Those declared ineligible can appeal before 19 appellate tribunals set up across the state. However, voters excluded after adjudication for the first phase of the polls will not be able to exercise their franchise, as the nomination deadline for constituencies voting on April 23 has passed. Voters in the second phase constituencies may still have a chance if appeals are settled before the April 9 deadline for nominations.

Minority-dominated districts recorded the highest number of exclusions. Murshidabad led the list with 4.55 lakh deletions from 11.01 lakh voters under judicial scrutiny, followed by North 24 Parganas with 3.25 lakh, and Malda with 2.39 lakh deletions. Other districts with significant exclusions included South 24 Parganas (2.22 lakh), Nadia (2.08 lakh), Birbhum, Hooghly, West Bardhaman, and North Dinajpur.

District	Total voters under adjudication	Deletions post-adjudication	Remarks
Murshidabad	11,01,000	4,55,137	66% Muslim population
North 24 Parganas	5,00,000	3,25,666	Border district, high electorate
Malda	8,28,000	2,39,375	Muslim-majority
Nadia	—	2,08,626	—
South 24 Parganas	5,22,000	2,22,929	—
Other districts	—	Remaining deletions	Included Birbhum, Hooghly, West Bardhaman, North Dinajpur

In percentage terms, Nadia witnessed the highest deletion rate at 77.86%, followed by Hooghly (70.33%), Purba Bardhaman (57.4%), North 24 Parganas (55.08%), and Paschim Bardhaman (53.72%). Even urban constituencies like Kolkata North and South saw deletions of 28.97% and 27.31%, respectively.

Voters were removed primarily under the following categories:

• Dead
• Shifted/Transferred
• Duplicate entries
• Absent
• Under judicial review/adjudication

The 27.16 lakh voters excluded after judicial review largely belonged to minority communities, with Muslim-majority districts witnessing the highest proportion of deletions. Investigations show that, for example, in Nandigram, 95.5% of deleted voters were Muslims, despite comprising only 25% of the population.

Pre- and Post-Revision Data

• Pre-SIR voters (Oct 2025): 7.66 crore
• Deleted in draft rolls (Dec 2025): 58.20 lakh
• Deleted in final rolls (Feb 28, 2026): 63.66 lakh
• Under adjudication (Feb 28, 2026): 60.06 lakh
• Deleted post-adjudication (Apr 7, 2026): 27.16 lakh
• Total deletions: 90.83 lakh
• Final electorate: 6.77 crore

For the first phase, rolls were frozen at midnight on April 6, while the second phase rolls will be frozen on April 9. Any voter still under adjudication after these deadlines will be unable to vote in the upcoming election.

The Supreme Court played a central role in overseeing the SIR process. Key directives included:

• Appointment of 705 judicial officers to adjudicate voter claims and objections
• Formation of 19 appellate tribunals headed by former High Court judges
• Guarantee that no eligible voter’s name would be removed unjustly

Despite these measures, appeals are still pending, and some voters continue to wait for their names to be reinstated. Digital verification of 22,163 cases is yet to be completed, which could marginally increase the total deletions.

Muslim-majority districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, and North Dinajpur were worst affected. For instance:

• Murshidabad: 4.55 lakh deletions out of 11.01 lakh under scrutiny
• Malda: 2.39 lakh deletions
• North 24 Parganas: 3.25 lakh deletions

These high numbers could influence electoral outcomes, particularly in constituencies with large minority populations.

The Special Intensive Revision of West Bengal’s electoral rolls has been unprecedented in scale. Nearly 91 lakh voters have been removed, representing 11.62% of the electorate. While the exercise aimed to ensure clean rolls and prevent duplication or fraud, it has also sparked debates over minority disenfranchisement.

The fate of those removed depends on appellate tribunals, though for the first phase of polling, their chances to vote have lapsed. The final outcome of this massive exercise will only become evident after the polls and subsequent appeals are processed.

West Bengal Electoral Roll Deletions (2025–26 SIR & Adjudication)

District	Deletions before adjudication (Feb 28 final roll)	Deletions during adjudication	Total deletions (Feb 28 + adjudication)
Murshidabad	2,93,822	4,55,137	7,48,959
North 24 Parganas	12,60,096	3,25,666	15,85,762
South 24 Parganas	7,85,000*	3,06,098*	10,91,098
Malda	2,20,155*	2,39,375	4,59,530
Kolkata	3,70,000*	3,27,160*	6,97,160
East Midnapore	85,000*	80,345*	1,65,345
Nadia	1,00,000*	75,000*	1,75,000*

Key Takeaways

1. Overall deletions across West Bengal: 90,83,345 as of April 7, 2026.
2. Phase-wise breakdown:
   • Feb 28 final roll: 63,66,952 deletions
   • Adjudication: 27,16,393 deletions
3. Murshidabad had the highest deletions from adjudication alone (4,55,137).
4. North 24 Parganas leads in cumulative deletions across both phases (15,85,762).
5. Urban vs. rural impact:
   • Kolkata (urban) saw nearly 7 lakh deletions.
   • Border districts like Murshidabad, Malda, and South 24-Parganas experienced significant SIR impact.
6. Potential political impact:
   • North & South 24-Parganas and Nadia districts, with high deletions, have around 40% Matua population, potentially affecting sections of refugee communities and BJP’s vote base.
7. Adjudication outcomes:
   • Voters removed during adjudication can approach appellate tribunals for restoration, though chances of inclusion before elections are slim.
   • 22,163 cases are pending electronic signatures, which may slightly adjust final numbers.