Bengal SIR: Over 58 lakh names may be deleted; draft roll to be released on December 16

Additionally, the Election Commission has identified nearly 13.74 lakh discrepancies related to ASD categories-Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate voters-in the electoral list

More than 58 lakh voter names could be removed from West Bengal's electoral rolls as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with the draft rolls scheduled to be made public on December 16, The Economic Times reported on Monday.

The Election Commission began publishing the draft electoral rolls on Sunday evening, with the process continuing through the night, a senior Election Commission official told The Economic Times. The Bengal SIR exercise commenced on December 4 and concluded on December 11, following an extension of the deadline, the report said.

A senior official told The Economic Times that since Sunday evening, the primary focus had been on publishing the electoral rolls, adding that the work continued uninterrupted overnight.

West Bengal's population stands at over 7.66 crore, and the draft rolls will be opened for public scrutiny on December 16, The Economic Times noted. Election Commission of India (ECI) sources cited by The Economic Times said that more than 90,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were deployed across the state for the SIR exercise.

Following the publication of the draft rolls, the Claims and Objections period will run from December 16, 2025, to January 17, 2026, The Economic Times reported. The notice phase, which includes hearings and verification, will also begin on December 16 and continue until February 7, 2026. The final electoral rolls are expected to be published in February 2026, the report added.

A status report reviewed by The Economic Times showed that as of Saturday noon, around 58,20,897 voters-about 7.6 percent of the total electorate-are likely to be deleted from the rolls. The report further said that over 31,39,815 individuals may be required to appear for hearings. Additionally, the Election Commission has identified nearly 13.74 lakh discrepancies related to ASD categories-Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate voters-in the electoral list, The Economic Times reported.