The Election Commission of India (EC) has indicated that nearly 13.92 lakh names may have to be removed from the voter list in West Bengal following the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). This estimate, recorded up to Tuesday noon, marks a sharp rise from the figure of around 10 lakh noted just a day earlier.
Verification Through Field Survey
Officials have clarified that the deletions are based on data gathered by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who have conducted door-to-door verification and form collection across the state. These potential removals include names of deceased individuals, voters who have shifted residence, missing or untraceable persons, and other cases of ineligibility. The EC has emphasised that these numbers are preliminary and subject to further verification.
Kolkata Registers the Highest Proportion of Deletions
Among the districts, the highest rates of proposed exclusions have emerged from North Kolkata and South Kolkata, followed by South 24 Parganas. Officials have stated that these figures are still being reviewed and are not final.
Draft Voter List Coming in December
The updated draft voter list, based on a data snapshot from October 27, 2025, will be released on December 9, 2025. Only after its publication will the final count of deletions become officially known.
Political Claims and EC’s Neutral Position
Throughout the SIR process, the BJP has claimed that up to one crore names might ultimately be removed, attributing this to alleged infiltration in the rolls. The Election Commission has not commented on claims of infiltration, stressing instead that the verification process is strictly documentation-based and thoroughly evidence-driven.
As the state moves toward the critical December announcement, political circles, observers, and voters are closely waiting to see how these changes might reshape the electoral landscape in West Bengal.