Election Commission Revises West Bengal Voters’ List, 58 Lakh Dropped

The West Bengal voters’ list has undergone a major revision after the Election Commission released the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) draft online. More than 58 lakh existing voters have been removed from the draft electoral roll for 2026. The update, published by the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, comes months before the state assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

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Why the Names Were Deleted


According to data shared by West Bengal’s voting sources, a total of 5,820,898 voters were deleted during the SIR process. After conducting on-the-ground verifications and examining old records, the removals were carried out. The authorities reasoned with factors like death, moving away permanently, duplication, non-existent voters, and other administrative reasons that no longer qualified them to be on the list.

Detailed Breakdown of Deleted Voters


The SIR draft shows that 24.16 lakh voters were marked as deceased, while nearly 19.88 lakh voters were removed after relocating permanently outside their constituencies. Another 12.20 lakh names were listed as missing after repeated verification attempts. Duplicate entries accounted for 1.38 lakh deletions, while 57,604 names were removed for other documented reasons.

Election Commission on Claims and Objections


The Election Commission has clarified that the process remains open for corrections. A notice on the official portal stated, “Aggrieved persons can submit their claims in Form 6 along with the declaration form and supporting documents after publication of Draft Roll 2026.” The deadline for submitting claims and objections has been fixed as January 15, 2026.

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SIR Timeline and Election Context

The enumeration phase of the West Bengal SIR concluded late last week after months of verification work across the state. The West Bengal SIR draft list is regarded as a significant administrative move in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections. However, the magnitude of cancellations this time is much greater than during the previous elections, as intensive revisions were held before past elections as well.

Conclusion: Why This Revision Matters Now


The removal of over 58 lakh names highlights the Election Commission’s push for cleaner and more accurate electoral rolls. The current SIR indicates stricter verification rules and larger data matching as compared to past revisions. The period for claims and objections becomes very important for the eligible voters as the elections are near. The last voter list of West Bengal is likely to influence the accuracy of turnout and the transparency of elections in 2026.