Massive Voter Deletions in West Bengal: 13 Lakh Names Struck Off in Adjudication Phase
A senior Election Commission official in Kolkata disclosed on Wednesday that approximately 40 percent of the 32 lakh names adjudicated so far have been eliminated from the electoral rolls of West Bengal. This translates to a staggering 13 lakh voters removed under the ongoing adjudication process.
Total Deletions Surge to 76 Lakh Amid SIR Exercise
With an earlier 63 lakh names struck off during the Summary Revision (SIR) exercise, the cumulative number of deleted voters has now escalated to nearly 76 lakh. The official confirmed this significant reduction, highlighting the extensive cleanup of the state's voter database.
The poll panel had released the first supplementary list of 'Under Adjudication' voters on Monday, but faced criticism for not disclosing specific deletion figures or case disposals. This lack of transparency has drawn scrutiny from various political and public quarters.
Background: SIR Exercise and Voter Roll Adjustments
During the enumeration phase of the SIR exercise, a total of 58 lakh names were deleted, reducing West Bengal's eligible electorate from an initial 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore. These deletions were based on grounds such as death, migration, duplication, and untraceability.
The post-SIR rolls, published on February 28, further trimmed the number of valid voters to just over 7.04 crore. This included placing more than 60 lakh names under judicial scrutiny for verification.
Ongoing Adjudication and Technical Hurdles
Out of the 32 lakh cases disposed of so far, around 28 lakh cases remain pending, to be cleared by the 705 judicial officers currently active in the state. The official noted that about 10 lakh names were uploaded to the EC website during the publication of the first supplementary list on Monday, but exact deletion numbers from that list were not specified.
Prior to the list's release, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal had indicated that nearly 29 lakh cases had been processed. However, only a third of these processed entries could be initially published due to technical issues, such as the absence of e-sign authentication from concerned judicial officers.
"Only those names that were approved through the e-sign authentication process could be included in the published list," the official emphasized, explaining the procedural delays.
Future Supplementary Lists and Legal Proceedings
According to the Election Commission, subsequent supplementary lists are scheduled for publication every Friday in the coming weeks, with the second list expected in two days. Meanwhile, the CEO has approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking permission to publish supplementary electoral rolls on a daily basis. The court has deferred the hearing until after March 27.
This ongoing voter list revision underscores the complexities and challenges in maintaining accurate electoral rolls, with significant implications for West Bengal's political landscape.
