West Bengal's Electoral Roll Cleanup: A Detailed Analysis of SIR Phase 2 Data
In the recently completed second phase of the Summary Revision of electoral rolls (SIR), West Bengal has emerged with significant findings, ranking fifth in terms of net deletions at 10.9% among the twelve states and Union Territories where the process has concluded. Despite being a state with considerable political activity and vocal opposition to the SIR process, its performance in cleaning up the voter lists reveals a complex picture across multiple categories.
Deceased Voter Deletions: A High Contributor
West Bengal stood second only to Uttar Pradesh in the removal of deceased electors from the electoral rolls. A substantial 24.2 lakh dead voters were detected and deleted in West Bengal, closely following Uttar Pradesh's 25.5 lakh. Together, these two states accounted for nearly three-fourths of the total 66.9 lakh deceased electors removed across all twelve states and UTs during this phase.
Analysis of ASDD Category Deletions
The deletions were primarily categorized under absent, shifted, dead, and doubly enrolled (ASDD) electors. In the shifted electors category, which involves voters who have permanently moved locations, West Bengal ranked sixth with 19.9 lakh deletions out of a total of 3.1 crore in this segment nationwide. This is notable given that West Bengal's electorate size at the start of SIR was the second largest after Uttar Pradesh.
For doubly enrolled electors—those registered in multiple locations—West Bengal placed eighth with 1.4 lakh removals, the lowest among the larger states. The top states in this category were Uttar Pradesh (79.5 lakh), Tamil Nadu (13.5 lakh), Gujarat (9.7 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (8.4 lakh), Kerala (6.4 lakh), Rajasthan (4.6 lakh), and Chhattisgarh (3.7 lakh). Overall, nearly 1.3 crore doubly enrolled electors were removed across the twelve states and UTs.
Other Deletions and Additions
Beyond ASDD, an "others" category included electors who did not submit enumeration forms despite multiple visits by booth-level officers. West Bengal accounted for 57,604 deletions here, ranking fourth behind Uttar Pradesh (7.7 lakh), Gujarat (1.9 lakh), and Kerala (1.6 lakh), out of a total of 12.7 lakh nationwide.
In terms of new enrolments, West Bengal added the fewest electors among major states, with only 7.5 lakh additions based on Form 6 (for first-time voters) and Form 8 (for existing voters at new addresses). This placed it seventh, behind Uttar Pradesh (92.4 lakh), Tamil Nadu (35 lakh), Kerala (20.4 lakh), Rajasthan (15.4 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (12.9 lakh), and Gujarat (12.2 lakh).
Adjudication Process: West Bengal Leads
A unique aspect of West Bengal's SIR process was the adjudication exercise, where judicial officers reviewed cases. The state topped the list with 33.1 lakh deletions through Form 7 or adjudication, including 27.1 lakh adjudicated by judicial officers and 6 lakh removed following objections via Form 7. This contributed significantly to the overall 63.2 lakh names deleted across the twelve states and UTs through these methods.
Net Deletions and Comparative Ranking
Overall, West Bengal's net deletions of 10.9% as a percentage of its initial electorate positioned it lower than Andaman and Nicobar Islands (16.6%), Uttar Pradesh (13.2%), Gujarat (13.1%), and Chhattisgarh (11.3%). This data underscores the state's mixed performance, with high removals in some areas but lower net impact compared to others, reflecting the complexities of electoral roll management in a populous and politically active region.
