Election Commission releases third supplementary voter list in Bengal

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has released the third supplementary voter list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, continuing its phased update of the state’s voter database ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

The latest list, made public on Saturday night, did not include details on the total number of inclusions or deletions. Booth-wise voter lists were uploaded on the ECI website around 11:30 pm, allowing electors to verify their status.

According to an EC official, the “supplementary list” comprises names placed in the “under adjudication” category after the publication of the post-SIR electoral rolls on 28 February. These are cases that are still being verified or reviewed.

The third list follows the release of the second supplementary list on Friday night and the first earlier in the week. The initial list had drawn criticism as the commission did not disclose the number of deletions or the exact count of cases resolved.

Alongside the supplementary lists, the EC has also published corresponding deletion lists, detailing names removed due to reasons such as duplication, death, or change of residence.

Officials said the staggered publication of these lists is aimed at ensuring that all eligible voters are included while maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the rolls. “As directed by the court, the supplementary list will now be published regularly,” an official said.

The SIR exercise has significantly altered the state’s electoral rolls. Around 58 lakh names were deleted during the enumeration phase, reducing the number of electors from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore due to death, migration, duplication and untraceability. The post-SIR rolls published on 28 February further brought the number of valid voters down to just over 7.04 crore, while more than 60 lakh names were kept under scrutiny.

Officials indicated that approximately 10 lakh names featured in the first supplementary list and around 21 lakh in the second, though detailed figures for the third list remain undisclosed.

Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases on 23 and 29 April, with counting set for 4 May.

With PTI inputs