ECI Estimates 43.3 Lakh Names for Deletion in Bengal Draft Voters’ List Ahead of December 16 Release

Kolkata, Dec 2025 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has estimated that 43.30 lakh names may be excluded from the upcoming draft voters’ list for West Bengal, scheduled for publication on December 16. The projection is based on digitisation trends from enumeration forms submitted by booth-level officers (BLOs) as of Monday evening.

However, officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, cautioned that this figure is provisional, as digitisation is still underway. The final number of deletions may increase once the entire database is processed.

According to the electoral roll updated on October 27, West Bengal currently has 7,66,37,529 registered voters.

Dead, Untraceable and Shifted Voters Dominate the Exclusion List

CEO office sources said that of the estimated 43.30 lakh names identified for removal, the largest category comprises deceased voters, numbering around 21.45 lakh.
Another 5.5 lakh entries fall under the category of untraceable voters, though officials expect this figure to fluctuate as some individuals may be located later.

Additionally, the list includes nearly 15.10 lakh shifted voters, whose names must be removed from their previous constituencies, and just under one lakh bogus or duplicate voters.

“The number of untraceable voters might change as the verification process continues,” an official said.

Over 2,200 Polling Booths Show Zero Irregularities

Interestingly, the ECI has identified 2,208 polling booths across the state where no discrepancies were found—no deceased voters, no duplicate entries, and no voters who had shifted out.
Election officials highlighted this as a positive indicator of improved accuracy and better maintenance of voter records at the booth level.

BJP Raises Questions; Demands Review

The BJP, however, has expressed scepticism over the clean status of these booths. Party leaders questioned how so many polling stations could have zero deceased, duplicate, or shifted voters, alleging that such figures may indicate verification lapses. The party has demanded a review of the enumeration forms collected from these booths.

On Monday, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote to the ECI, requesting an audit of the enumeration entries made during the three-day Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise on November 26, 27, and 28.
During these days alone, West Bengal recorded an unprecedented 1.25 crore form entries, a volume the BJP argues warrants thorough scrutiny.

As the digitisation process nears completion, all eyes are on the ECI’s final draft list on December 16, which is expected to significantly reshape voter rolls ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.