West Bengal draft electoral rolls published: 5.8 mn voters deleted in SIR

Following the SIR, the draft roll is expected to include around 70 million voters, down from nearly 76 million electors listed before the SIR

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday released the draft electoral rolls for West Bengal after completing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, news agency PTI reported. At least 5.8 million voters have reportedly been deleted from the draft rolls on grounds such as death, migration, and non-submission of enumeration forms.

 

Following the revision, the draft roll is expected to include around 70 million voters, down from nearly 76 million electors listed before the SIR. According to the poll panel, the deletion list contains names that were part of the January 2025 electoral rolls but do not appear in the draft rolls after the revision.

 

Hearing process to begin in a week

The Election Commission clarified that the deletions are not final. Affected voters can submit claims using Form 6. 

 

According to PTI, around 3 million voters are expected to be called for hearings to prove their eligibility. The poll panel has advised voters to verify their names either online or by contacting booth-level officers (BLOs).

 

A senior commission official told PTI that hearings for affected voters are likely to begin in about a week. The gap between the publication of the draft rolls and the start of hearings is due to the time required to print and serve hearing notices and upload records to the Election Commission’s database.  ALSO READ | How to fill and submit SIR form online: Step-by-step complete voter guide

West Bengal SIR process

The draft rolls were published after weeks of political tension following the SIR exercise, which was conducted between November 4 and December 11. The revision was challenged by the Trinamool Congress and the Congress, which raised concerns over alleged pressure on BLOs and claimed irregularities in the process.

 

The 294-member West Bengal Assembly is expected to go to the polls in March–April 2026.

SIR process challenged in several states

The SIR exercise has been at the centre of political controversy. A revision carried out ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections triggered sharp criticism and allegations of “vote theft” by the opposition. Despite the backlash, the Election Commission termed the Bihar exercise a success and decided to extend the same SIR framework to other states. The opposition has alleged that the commission acted in coordination with the government, a charge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dismissed

 

In Tamil Nadu, the SIR was challenged by several political parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the CPI(M), actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), and state MLA K Selvaperunthagai.

 

Apart from West Bengal, draft electoral rolls for Goa, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, and Rajasthan will also be released today.