Nearly 91 Lakh Names Deleted From West Bengal Voter List Ahead of Assembly Elections

New Delhi: Days ahead of the crucial West Bengal Assembly elections, nearly 91 lakh names have been deleted from West Bengal’s electoral rolls following the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, as per reports.

The large-scale revision comes ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, with authorities aiming to update and verify the voter list across the state.

As per official data released on February 28, a total of 63.66 lakh names, around 8.3% of the electorate had already been removed since the SIR process began in November 2025. This reduced the voter base from approximately 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.

Earlier, the draft electoral roll published on December 16, 2025, had excluded 58.2 lakh names, followed by an additional 5.46 lakh deletions before the final list was released.

Adjudication process nearing completion

The revision process initially kept a significant number of cases under review.

Around 60.06 lakh voters were placed under the “under adjudication” category due to eligibility concerns. By April 3, authorities had resolved nearly 52 lakh cases, while about 8 lakh cases remain pending.

Officials have indicated that the entire adjudication process is expected to be completed by April 7, if the current pace continues.

Election Commission officials stated that among the adjudicated cases:

• Around 55% were cleared and reinstated in the electoral rolls
• Approximately 45% (about 23.4 lakh) were rejected
• Those excluded still have the option to file an appeal within 15 days, either online or offline.

Supreme Court Gives One-Day Deadline To Update Bengal Voter List

This comes a day after the Supreme Court has intervened in the process, directing authorities to complete the adjudication within a strict timeline and ensure transparency.

The court instructed SIR appellate tribunals to revisit all records and provide a fair hearing to affected individuals.

It also directed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to establish a panel of three former judges to oversee the appeals process.

The extensive revision of voter rolls is taking place just ahead of crucial Assembly elections in the state. 

The Election Commission has maintained that the process is aimed at ensuring an accurate and updated electoral roll, while also allowing room for appeals and corrections.

Final voter list awaited

The poll panel is yet to release the final updated voter base after the completion of the SIR exercise.

With lakhs of names deleted and several cases still under review, the final list is expected to play a key role in shaping the upcoming electoral landscape in West Bengal.

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