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West Bengal electoral roll to have 7 crore electors, around 60 lakh in limbo

The final SIR list will also be available on the official ECI website, the state Chief Electoral Officer’s website, and the ECI Net app.

The enumeration forms were printed for all voters and delivered door-to-door by BLOs.5 lakh people remained absent during the hearing phase of SIR in West Bengal. (File Photo)

The final electoral roll in West Bengal after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is likely to have around 7 crore electors, after the deletion of about 8 lakh names included in the draft roll and around 60 lakh names under adjudication, according to senior Election Commission (EC) sources.

The EC is publishing the final roll on Saturday, after an unprecedented exercise that saw centrally appointed micro observers reviewing decisions taken by the statutory authority, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). District officials began handing over physical copies of the rolls to political parties at the local level.

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal is expected to address a press conference on Saturday evening to reveal the outcome of the exercise that began in October last year.

When the exercise started, the state had a total of 7.66 crore electors, which reduced to 7.08 crore electors when the draft roll was published in December. About 58 lakh names were deleted after Booth Level Officers (BLO) marked the names as deceased, shifted/absent, or enrolled at multiple places.

In addition to the deletions in the draft rolls, an additional 5 lakh names have been rejected till date, while another 5 lakh people remained absent during the hearing phase, taking the figure beyond the 65-lakh mark.

Names yet to be verified will be marked as ‘Under Adjudication’ in the final list. If a name has been removed, it will be marked as ‘Deleted’, whereas the names of others will appear normally in the list.

How to check your name in final SIR list

According to sources, ECI has started distributing two copies of booth-wise final lists to respective Booth Level Officers (BLOs) through district administrations. BLOs will keep one list with them, and a copy of the list will be displayed at the local booth.

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The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will provide ‘soft copies’ of the list to representatives of the state’s eight recognised political parties.

District authorities will also distribute ‘hard copies’ to the Booth Level Agents (BLA) of these political parties.

The list will also be available on the official ECI website (eci.gov.in), the State Chief Electoral Officer’s website (ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in), and the ECI Net app. By entering their name and EPIC number (Voter ID number) on the designated websites or app, voters can check if they have made it to the final list.

West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal Thursday informed that the list can also be accessed via the websites of District Election Officers (DEO).

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience  Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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