West Bengal Election Commission Releases Third Supplementary Voter List Amid Controversy

The Election Commission of West Bengal has released its third supplementary voter list as part of an intensive revision process ahead of the upcoming elections. However, the lack of transparency regarding the number of resolved cases and changes in voter counts has raised concerns. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has voiced fears of mass disenfranchisement, urging the Supreme Court to intervene. With elections scheduled for April 23 and 29, the situation remains tense as the state prepares for critical voting days.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 29, 2026, 13:38 IST

Election Commission Updates Voter Rolls

On Saturday, the Election Commission unveiled the third supplementary voter list for West Bengal, part of a special intensive revision of electoral rolls in preparation for the upcoming elections. However, the commission did not disclose the number of cases resolved or the changes in voter counts, leaving many questions unanswered.

Booth-wise lists were made accessible on the Election Commission's website around 11:30 PM. The first supplementary list, released on March 23, addressed approximately 1 million cases, while the second list dealt with around 2.1 million cases, according to an unnamed official from the Election Commission.

Details regarding the number of voters added or removed in the initial two lists were also not provided. State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal mentioned that individuals whose names were omitted could appeal to appellate tribunals established by the Calcutta High Court.

West Bengal is one of 12 states and Union Territories undergoing this special intensive revision of the electoral roll. The final electoral roll published on February 28 indicated that over 6.1 million voters had been excluded.

Despite this, the process continues, with around 6 million cases still under review due to objections regarding exclusions from the draft rolls released in December. On February 20, the Supreme Court mandated the appointment of judicial officers to assist in completing the revision amid tensions between the Trinamool Congress government and the Election Commission.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns about the potential for mass disenfranchisement of eligible voters, urging the Supreme Court to allow elections based on the previous year's electoral rolls.

The state elections are scheduled to take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with vote counting set for May 4, coinciding with elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.