The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday published draft electoral rolls in three states and two Union Territories after the completion of the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), marking potential deletions largely in the 7.5%-10% range.
The enumeration exercise was conducted between November 4 and December 11 and the draft rolls have been uploaded on the websites of the respective Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and District Electoral Officers (DEOs), besides being shared in hard copy with recognised political parties. (ANI)
In West Bengal, which goes to the polls next summer, the SIR excised nearly 5.82 million names from the draft roll, as reported by HT on Sunday. This meant the potential deletions in the state with 76.6 million voters stood at around 7.6%, close to the 8% deletions seen in Bihar after the SIR earlier this year. The state chief electoral officer said 2.41 million names were marked as deceased, 3.26 million as shifted or absent, and 138,000 as ‘enrolled in multiple places’.
In Rajasthan, where polls are not due till 2028, the names of nearly 4.19 million people were dropped in the draft roll, marking an exclusion percentage of around 7.7%. State Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan said enumeration forms could not be collected for 4.185 million voters out of the state’s total electorate of 54.6 million. Mahajan also said around 1.1 million voters would be served notices seeking documentary verification to establish their eligibility.
In Goa, the SIR removed 100,042 names from the draft roll, marking a deletion percentage of 8.44%. Out of an initial electorate of 1,185,034, enumeration forms were collected from 1,084,992 electors, amounting to 91.56% coverage. The draft roll flagged 25,574 electors as deceased, 72,471 as shifted or absent and 1,997 as enrolled at multiple places, said an official note from CEO Sanjay Goel’s office. Goa goes to the polls in 2027.
Puducherry saw 103,467 names removed from the draft list, a deletion percentage of 10.1%. Of these, 20,798 were reported as deceased, 80,645 marked as shifted or absent, and 2,024 found enrolled at multiple places, said the CEO’s office. The Union Territory had 1,021,578 electors at the beginning of the SIR, and enumeration forms were collected from 918,111 electors, the statement said. Puducherry goes to the polls next summer.
In Lakshadweep, out of 56,384 electors, 705 were marked as deceased, 252 as shifted or absent and 472 as enrolled at multiple places, translating to a deletion percentage of 2.5%.
The poll panel had begun the controversial exercise in 12 states and UTs on November 4 but last week extended the enumeration phase in several regions. The publication of the draft rolls marks the beginning of the claims and objections period, which will remain open until January 15. During this period, electors whose names have been deleted or wrongly included can file claims or objections seeking correction or inclusion. Hearings and verification will continue until February 7, and the final electoral rolls will be published on February 14, ECI said.
The enumeration exercise was conducted between November 4 and December 11 and the draft rolls have been uploaded on the websites of the respective Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and District Electoral Officers (DEOs), besides being shared in hard copy with recognised political parties.
ECI clarified that names deleted at the draft stage were not final and that electors could seek inclusion during the claims and objections period. It also said names found enrolled at multiple places would be retained at only one location after verification.
HT reported on Sunday that the districts with the highest possible deletions were Kolkata (25.1%), Paschim Bardhaman (13.2%) and Howrah (10.8%). Districts with the lowest deletions were Purba Medinipur (4.6%), Bankura (4.4%), and Cooch Behar (3.3%). The analysis had also shown that the five constituencies likely to have the highest percentage of deletions – Jorasanko, Chowringhee, Howrah Uttar, Kolkata Port, and Ballygunge – were all in Kolkata or in its suburbs. Forms could not be collected from 36.8%, 35.4%, 27%, 26.2%, and 25.5% electors, respectively, in these seats, according to data. All five seats were won by the ruling Trinamool Congress in 2021. The five seats with the fewest deletions were Katulpur, Nandakumar, Sabang, Karimpur, and Patashpur. They were likely to see deletions in the 2.2%-2.5% range, data showed. The TMC won four of the five seats in 2021, with the exception of Katulpur, which was won by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In absolute terms, the highest number of deletions were in Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas, data showed. These districts are strongholds of the TMC, which stormed to a third consecutive term in 2021.
At least 127 names were deleted from the polling station at Bhowanipore in south Kolkata from where West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee casts her vote. Her constituency of Bhowanipore saw 44,787 deletions, compared to 10,599 in Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s Nandigram seat. In south Kolkata, four assembly segments—Bhabanipur, Kolkata Port, Ballygunge and Rashbehari—together saw over 216,000 names deleted, accounting for nearly 24% of their combined electorate.
The Trinamool Congress said the draft rolls punctured claims made by BJP leaders that West Bengal had a large number of illegal voters. TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra said the number of voters identified as “fake” or “ghost” stood at 183,328. “What we are hearing is that in nearly 80% Muslim-dominated constituencies, the average deletion rate is 0.6%, while in Matua-dominated regions, the average deletion rate is around 9%,” he said.
Adhikari welcomed the SIR and thanked ECI. “This is just the beginning. Breakfast has just begun. There will be lunch, tea and then dinner,” he said.
In Rajasthan, HT had reported on Tuesday that the proportion of electors who were found dead, shifted, or absent was the highest in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Kota. Forms could not be collected from 12%, 11.5%, and 10.9% of electors in these districts. This proportion was the lowest in Barmer, Hanumangarh, and Jaisalmer, where forms could not be collected from 4.1%, 5%, and 5% electors, respectively.
TMC officials reiterated that the exercise is a “conspiracy”. “More than 63,000 voters’ names have been deleted from the Kolkata Port area. The TMC will launch a survey. The ECI is being run by the BJP,” said Firhad Hakim, state minister and Kolkata mayor.
Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said, “We suspect that many voters’ names have been removed wrongfully. Our BLAs are on alert. They will get the draft rolls from every booth and will review every single voter whose name has been removed. We will not let the BJP delete anyone’s name unlawfully.”
On December 11, ECI had announced an extension of timelines in five states and one UT. Enumeration in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat was extended till December 14, with draft rolls to be published on December 19. In Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, enumeration will conclude on December 18, followed by the publication of draft rolls on December 23. In Uttar Pradesh, enumeration will conclude on December 26, with draft rolls scheduled for release on December 31. Kerala has already received an extension, where enumeration will conclude on December 18and draft rolls published on December 23.
