West Bengal SIR: Voter List Shrinks by 12% as 27 Lakh Names Dropped After Adjudication
Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, and Malda record highest deletions; political row intensifies ahead of Assembly polls
New Delhi, April 8: West Bengal’s electoral roll has witnessed a sharp contraction, with over 27 lakh voters excluded after adjudication under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), taking total deletions to 91 lakh since the process began.
The electorate has dropped nearly 12%—from 7.66 crore in October 2025 to 6.75 crore—just days before the Assembly elections. Data from the Chief Electoral Officer shows that around 60 lakh voters were placed under scrutiny, of which about 45% were ultimately removed.
District-wise, the highest exclusions were reported in Murshidabad (over 4.5 lakh), followed by North 24 Parganas (3.25 lakh) and Malda (2.39 lakh), all districts with significant minority populations.
The move has triggered a political storm. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed the deletions “vote theft,” alleging targeted removal of minority, Matua, and Rajbanshi voters. The Trinamool Congress plans to raise the issue with the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari defended the process, claiming it would eliminate illegal infiltrators from electoral rolls.
The Supreme Court has declined the State’s request to delay the freezing of voter lists, leaving those excluded with little chance to vote in the upcoming election.
With tribunal appeals ongoing, the controversy has intensified ahead of polling scheduled later this month.
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