West Bengal Electoral Roll Deletions Spark Controversy Ahead of Assembly Elections

In West Bengal, the recent deletion of nearly 91 lakh voters from the electoral rolls has ignited a political firestorm ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Election Commission of targeting specific communities, while BJP leaders defend the deletions. The situation has raised serious questions about electoral integrity and fairness, with significant impacts noted in districts with large minority populations. As the election date approaches, the political landscape becomes increasingly polarized, prompting calls for legal support for those affected. This unfolding drama highlights the critical intersection of politics and voter rights in the state.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 8, 2026, 16:30 IST

Significant Voter Deletions in West Bengal

People wait to submit their petitions before the Special Tribunal after their names were deleted from SIR, at Ranaghat, in Nadia, West Bengal. (Photo: PTI)

Kolkata, April 8: The recent electoral roll revision in West Bengal has led to the removal of nearly 91 lakh voters, according to the Election Commission. This development has intensified an already charged political atmosphere as the state prepares for the first phase of Assembly elections on April 23.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Election Commission of executing "targeted deletions" affecting members of the Matua, Rajbanshi, and minority communities. In contrast, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari asserted that "Bangladeshi Muslims have no place in West Bengal."

The Election Commission has yet to officially confirm the final voter count following the revision process.

According to the Commission's data, the total number of deletions has reached over 90.88 lakh from an original voter base of 7.66 crore as of October 2025, indicating a removal rate of approximately 11.85 percent.

Out of 60.06 lakh voters classified as "under adjudication," over 27.16 lakh have been removed during the scrutiny conducted by judicial officers, as per the EC's report.

The data indicates that around 46.22 percent of the cases under judicial review after the publication of the post-SIR electoral rolls on February 28 were deleted.

More than 32.68 lakh individuals in the "under adjudication" category have been retained in the final voter rolls.

The highest number of deletions occurred in Murshidabad, a district with a significant Muslim population, where over 4.66 lakh of the 11.01 lakh names under scrutiny were removed, resulting in a deletion rate of about 41.38 percent.

Notable deletions were also recorded in North 24 Parganas, bordering Bangladesh, where over 3.26 lakh of the 6.91 lakh scrutinized voters were deemed ineligible, and in Malda, where more than 2.39 lakh of the 8.28 lakh under review were deleted.

In South 24 Parganas, nearly 2.23 lakh names were deleted, while Purba Bardhaman and Nadia districts saw deletions of 2.09 lakh and 2.98 lakh, respectively, according to the EC.

In terms of percentage, the deletions in Nadia and North 24 Parganas, areas predominantly inhabited by the Hindu Matua community, were alarmingly high at 77.86 percent and 66.08 percent, respectively.

In Cooch Behar, home to the Rajbanshi SC community, over 1.2 lakh names, which is more than 50 percent of the 2.38 lakh voters under scrutiny, were removed from the final rolls.

In Kolkata South, which includes Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur constituency, over 28,000 voters were deleted, resulting in a deletion rate of 36.19 percent during adjudications.

In Kolkata North, approximately 39,000 voters were found ineligible, leading to a deletion percentage of nearly 64.

Following the release of the deletion list, the Chief Minister criticized the Election Commission and the BJP during a rally in Chakdaha, Nadia district, pledging legal support for those whose names were removed from the rolls.

"Why this discrimination? You are excluding Matuas, Rajbanshis, and minorities. Do you think that people do not understand this?" the Chief Minister questioned.