According to recent data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), out of 60,06,675 individuals whose names were under review in West Bengal due to their exclusion from electoral rolls, 32,68,119, representing 54.4%, have been officially marked as “deleted.” This information was disclosed following the release of the final Supplementary List late Monday night, marking the conclusion of the adjudication process that commenced a month ago.
This development indicates a significant reduction in the number of registered voters in West Bengal, which has decreased from 7.66 crore to 6.77 crore as a result of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative. In total, approximately 89 lakh names have been removed from the voter lists, equating to a 11.62% decline.
The majority of adjudication cases were found in Murshidabad, a district with a high minority population, totaling 11 lakh cases. Other districts with notable case numbers include Malda with 8.28 lakh, South 24 Parganas with 5.22 lakh, and North 24 Parganas with 5 lakh. Conversely, Jhargram and Kalimpong reported the fewest pending adjudication cases, with 6,682 and 6,790 respectively.
District-wise analysis reveals that the highest percentage of deletions occurred in Nadia, a district with a significant Matua community, where 77.86% of voters have been deleted. Other districts with high deletion rates include Hooghly at 70.33%, Purba Bardhaman at 57.4%, North 24 Parganas at 55.08%, and Paschim Bardhaman at 53.72%.
In contrast, districts such as Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, and South 24 Parganas, which had some of the highest numbers of adjudication cases, experienced lower deletion rates of 28.91%, 41.33%, 36.84%, and 42.70%, respectively, although their overall numbers remain significant.
The Kolkata-North and Kolkata-South areas also witnessed considerable deletions, with 28.97% and 27.31% of their total electorates removed, respectively.
The adjudication process was executed by 705 judicial officers under the oversight of the Supreme Court. On the same day, the Supreme Court declined a request to extend the deadline for finalizing electoral lists.
The SIR process began on October 27 of the previous year, and following the publication of the final list on February 28, the voter count had already dropped to 7.04 crore, which included the 60.06 lakh electors whose names were flagged for judicial review.
An official from the ECI stated, “Individuals whose names have been removed after adjudication retain the right to contest this decision before tribunals.” As of the midnight announcement, the voter list for the first phase of elections scheduled for April 23 is now finalized. Those deleted from the list after the adjudication process still have an opportunity to appeal before tribunals until a specified date.
However, it is important to note that the tribunals are yet to commence their operations.
Atri Mitra serves as a Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over two decades of extensive reporting experience, particularly focused on political and administrative matters. His deep knowledge of regional issues and commitment to covering significant political developments has established him as a credible authority in the field.
In his current role, Mitra has concentrated on covering critical political moments, including the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and the 2010 assembly elections during his tenure at Anandabazar Patrika, as well as the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while with News18-Bangla.
He began his career with Anandabazar Patrika, where he spent over fifteen years, including a three-year period as the correspondent for Bihar. His academic credentials include a Master’s degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and a Bachelor’s degree from Calcutta University, along with attendance at prestigious institutions such as St. Xavier’s, Kolkata, and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra’s extensive experience and academic background render him a reliable source for news and analysis concerning the socio-political landscape of Eastern and North-Eastern India.
