West Bengal's Voter Roll Faces Major Changes: What You Need to Know

In a significant electoral update, West Bengal has seen nearly 91 lakh voters removed from its rolls following a Special Intensive Revision. The Election Commission's recent data reveals that around 63.66 lakh names have been deleted since November, impacting the voter base significantly. With the assembly elections approaching, the rolls have been frozen, and any further changes will depend on legal directives. This article delves into the details of the revision process, the implications for voters, and the upcoming election schedule, generating curiosity about the future of voting in the state.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 7, 2026, 11:44 IST

Significant Voter Deletions in West Bengal

Kolkata: Recent data from the Election Commission reveals that approximately 91 lakh voters have been removed from West Bengal's electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative.

The Election Commission has yet to finalize the updated voter count for the state after this revision process.

As per the official figures released on February 28, around 63.66 lakh names, which is about 8.3% of the electorate, have been eliminated since the SIR commenced in November of the previous year, leading to a decrease in the voter base from roughly 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.

Among the 7.04 crore voters, over 60.06 lakh were categorized as 'under adjudication.'

During a review by judicial officers, more than 27.16 lakh of these 'under adjudication' voters were removed, according to the Election Commission's data.

Conversely, over 32.68 lakh individuals in the 'under adjudication' category have been retained and included in the final voter rolls.

The total deletions since the SIR process began amount to approximately 90.83 lakh, as indicated by the Election Commission.

"This revision exercise has been conducted in a phased and transparent manner. District-wise data has been made publicly available to ensure full accountability," stated a senior official from the Election Commission.

Out of the 60.06 lakh voters under adjudication, data for 59.84 lakh has been published, while the remaining 22,163 cases have been resolved but are pending e-signatures.

"Once the outstanding procedural requirements, including e-signatures, are fulfilled, there may be slight adjustments in both deletion and inclusion figures," the official added.

The entire process has adhered to established guidelines, according to the official.

"Any further additions at this point will be contingent upon legal provisions and directives from competent authorities," the official noted.

In the meantime, with the release of the final supplementary list, the electoral roll for the initial phase of the West Bengal assembly elections has been 'frozen' as of midnight on Monday, in line with the prescribed regulations.

Out of the 294 assembly seats, 152 will be contested on April 23 during the first phase, while the remaining 142 seats will vote in the second phase on April 29. The rolls for the second phase will be frozen on April 9.

"There will be no further additions to the electoral roll at this stage. The list is frozen as per law following the last date of nomination for the first phase," a senior Election Commission official informed.

"Any changes from this point forward will rely solely on new directives, if any, from the Supreme Court," he added.

The Supreme Court, which is currently reviewing the SIR matter for West Bengal, is scheduled to hear the case again on April 13.