New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has published the final electoral roll for West Bengal following the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR), slashing the voter count significantly amid heated political exchanges ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The updated list now stands at 70,459,284 electors (7.04 crore), down from 76,637,529 (7.66 crore) before the SIR began in October 2025. A total of 6,366,952 names were deleted during the process, while additions included 182,036 via Forms 6/6A and 6,671 via Form 8. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agrawal explained that deletions stemmed from physical verifications by booth-level officers, identifying 2,416,852 deceased voters; 1,220,039 permanently absent; duplicates; shifted electors; and other ineligible entries. Additionally, 546,053 names were removed post-draft using Form 7.
Around 6,066,675 suspected cases remain under judicial adjudication in tune with Supreme Court directives, with eligible voters to be reinstated later.
The massive purge has ignited controversy. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has criticised the exercise as flawed and politically motivated, alleging disenfranchisement of genuine voters and warning of potential deletions exceeding 1 crore. In contrast, the BJP hailed the revisions for cleaning the rolls, with leaders claiming many more ineligible names — often linked to illegal immigration — would have been removed if the ECI had unrestricted freedom. BJP spokespersons accused the TMC of attempting to derail the process.
The SIR, involving 100% physical verification, aimed to ensure only eligible voters remain on the rolls. Electors are urged to check their status and file claims if needed.