KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday released the draft electoral rolls for West Bengal after completion of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) phase one. The draft roll had deletion of more than 58 lakh dead and bogus voters from the list.
As per the draft rolls, names of 7,08,16,631 voters were included in the rolls so far during the SIR.
The ECI has identified that about 1.66 crores voters' genuineness is still confusing. It may call the 1.66 crore voters for hearings that will be held after one week to verify their documents again.
In January 2025, there were 7,66,37,529 voters in the list. With a huge reduction of 58,20,898 voters due to death, duplication, permanently shifted status and absent voters, the number of official electors in the draft rolls came down to 7,08,16,631 after the SIR exercise.
The commission said the deletion list includes voters whose names appeared in the January 2025 electoral rolls but do not figure in the post-SIR draft rolls.
With assembly elections likely early next year, the draft rolls — along with a detailed, booth-wise list of deleted voters and reasons for deletion — have been uploaded on the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), official website (ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/Electors), the Election Commission’s voter portal (voters.eci.gov.in) and the ECINET application.
Voters can get their names checked in the draft rolls either online or offline, according to the commission.
The draft electoral rolls were prepared after a four-step process -distribution, submission, digitalisation and data analysis of enumeration forms (EF) -- during the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ lists that kickstarted on 4 November.
A press statement issued by office of the state CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal says, the successful completion of this phase is the result of coordinated efforts of district magistrates as well as district electoral officers (DEOs) of 24 districts, 294 electoral registration officers (EROs), 3059 assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deployed 80,681 polling booths supported by volunteers.
According to the statement, claims and objections in connection with the draft rolls can be made between 16 December and 15 January, 2025.
Hearing and verifications will be made from 16 December to 7 February next year. Final electoral rolls will be released on 14 February.
To check online, one has to go to the commission’s website, eci.gov.in or to the official website of WBCEO, ceowestbengal.gov.in. Search with the elector’s name and his or her photo identity card (EPIC) number, and then the details of the voter will appear on the website.
Check with the BLOs appointed by the national poll body if the official website is not available or accessible. A copy of the draft rolls from each polling booth will be available with the BLOs.
One can also approach the Booth Level Assistants (BLAs) from the political parties for assistance.
What to do if the name is not included in the draft electoral rolls?
Those who have not been able to match their names with their kin in the last 2002 SIR of electoral rolls for Bengal, would be asked to attend a hearing called by the Commission.
The electors who want to include their names will have to explain to those conducting the hearing why their names could not be linked and submit proof of being Indian citizens, eligible for voting.
Documents required when a voter attends the hearing to include his or her name on the electoral rolls Identity card as a state or central government employee, or a pension holder
Birth certificate
Passport, Madhyamik, or any other certificate of educational qualification
Residential certificate issued by any organisation under the state government
Forest right certificate
Caste certificate
Family register by the local administration
Land allotment or house allotment certificate issued by the government
Any document from before 1987 provided by the post office, bank, Life Insurance Corporation or any local authority