Ahead of the second phase of polling in West Bengal, the Appellate Tribunals have cleared 1,468 voters, previously removed during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), to be restored to the electoral rolls. Six others have been deemed ineligible for inclusion.
The reinstatements, though limited in number, come amid a sweeping revision exercise that has seen large-scale deletions across the state. In the 142 constituencies going to the polls on 29 April, around 12.9 lakh names were struck off following the SIR, a door-to-door verification drive aimed at identifying deceased voters, those who had relocated, or individuals deemed untraceable.
Statewide, nearly 90 lakh names, approximately 12% of the electorate, were removed during the exercise. Of these, over 60 lakhs were classified as either deceased or absent, while roughly 27 lakh cases remain under tribunal review. A significant share of pending cases, about 65%, involves Muslim voters, with Dalit Hindu communities, particularly the Matuas, also reporting notable exclusions in certain regions.
The Supreme Court of India intervened earlier this month, directing the Election Commission to publish supplementary rolls to enable eligible voters cleared by tribunals to cast their ballots. The court ruled that those whose appeals were resolved by 21 April could vote in Phase 1, while those cleared by 27 April would be eligible for Phase 2.
However, the court also clarified that merely having an appeal pending does not confer the right to vote. More than 34 lakh appeals have been filed, challenging both exclusions and certain inclusions in the revised rolls. Despite this volume, only 138 voters were reinstated in time for Phase 1. The 1,468 additions ahead of Phase 2 mark an increase, but remain a fraction of those affected by the deletions.
The issue has triggered sharp political reactions. The All India Trinamool Congress has alleged that genuine voters may have been unfairly excluded, while the Bharatiya Janata Party has defended the exercise as necessary to remove bogus entries and illegal voters.
