West Bengal Polls 2026: EC Drops Over 58 Lakh Voters from Draft Electoral Rolls
Large-scale deletion in Bengal's voter list because of Special Intensive Revision; Election Commission urges citizens to verify and file objections if needed
Mass Update in Bengal’s Voter Database
The Election Commission of India has published the draft electoral rolls in front of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections as part of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. In what is believed to be among the biggest revisions of the state’s electoral history, over 58 lakh names have been deleted from the voter list.
The deletions, according to officials, are to clean up the rolls by removing entries that correspond to voters who are deceased, those who have shifted residence, duplicate registration, or those who could not be verified during field checks. According to the poll body, this is a routine but essential step before major elections.
Therefore, voters whose names did not figure in the draft rolls have been advised to check the status immediately. The draft will be made available on the website as well as at the Booth Level Officers at the local level. Claims and objections can be filed by citizens who feel that their names have been wrongly deleted, within the stipulated period.
The Election Commission said that this list was only a draft one. The names that were proposed to be deleted could still be reinstated if valid documents were filed during the period for objections, which would remain open until mid-January 2026. The final electoral roll would be published in February 2026 after all claims are dealt with.
The large number of deletions has triggered political debate in the state. A few political parties have cried foul over probable exclusion of voters, while civil society groups have called for greater awareness so that eligible voters are not left out. The Election Commission has, in turn, reiterated its appeal to voters to verify their details early.
With West Bengal preparing for an important electoral battle, the administration drafted the message, stating participation of the people in the verification process is always imperative to make any election fair, transparent, and inclusive.
