SIR in Bengal: 30 lakh names to be deleted from electoral rolls

 Among these, an estimated 16 lakh are deceased voters, while the remainder comprise untraceable voters, duplicates, and those who have permanently shifted to other states.

 Officials from the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), West Bengal, noted that this figure is based on the current stage of digitisation, covering around 6.73 crore voters, or 88 per cent of the total 7.66 crore voters on the rolls as of 27 October. They cautioned that the final tally of deletions could rise once the digitisation process is fully completed.

 “The precise picture of deletions will emerge on December 9, when the draft voters’ list is published,” a CEO’s office insider said.

 In addition, the ECI has instructed the West Bengal director general of police, Rajeev Kumar, and Kolkata police commissioner, Manoj Verma, to safeguard BLOs from any intimidation or harassment by political workers. The commission has also directed CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal to rigorously implement guidelines ensuring polling booths are set up in slums, high-rise complexes, and gated communities, providing accessible voting to all segments of society.

 As West Bengal marches toward a cleaner, more accurate electoral roll, the SIR process, supported by digitisation and vigilant oversight, promises to strengthen democratic participation while safeguarding the integrity of the vote.