Election Commission deletes 45% voters under adjudication in Bengal
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Kolkata: In a sweeping and controversial revision of electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has deleted over 27 lakh names from voter lists in West Bengal following an adjudication process, triggering sharp concerns ahead of upcoming elections. The figures, released late Monday night, reveal that nearly 45% of the 60 lakh names flagged for scrutiny have now been struck off, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Of the 60,06,675 names under adjudication, 27,16,393 stand “deleted” according to ECI.
The scale of the deletion is stark. The total electorate has dropped dramatically from 7.66 crore at the start of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to 6.77 crore, effectively removing around 89 lakh voters—an 11.62% fall. The revision process, overseen by 705 judicial officers under the supervision of the Supreme Court of India, has reshaped the state’s electoral landscape just weeks before polling.
District-level data reveals deep regional disparities. Minority-heavy districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas recorded the highest number of cases under review, running into lakhs. However, in percentage terms, some of the sharpest deletions were reported in Nadia, Hooghly, and parts of Bardhaman, where over half the voters under scrutiny were removed.
Urban centres have not been spared. Kolkata North and South have also seen significant deletions, adding to the scale of disruption. Despite this, thousands of cases in districts like Jhargram and Kalimpong remained comparatively low.
With the voter list for the first phase of polling now frozen, those removed face a race against time. While there is a provision to challenge deletions before tribunals, these bodies are yet to become operational, leaving affected voters in limbo. For subsequent phases, a narrow window remains for appeals, but uncertainty looms large.
The massive deletions have injected fresh volatility into an already charged electoral environment, raising urgent questions over access, representation and the integrity of the voting process.
