The Great Bengal Exclusion | It’s final: 1,468 more names added by EC, after 139
6 deleted in final list. Total 34 lakh applications were pending before 19 tribunals, including for exclusions; no clarity on how many cases considered before second supplementary list
4 min readKolkataUpdated: Apr 30, 2026 07:36 PM IST
Voters queue outside a polling booth in Hariharpara constituency, Murshidabad districts, in the 2nd of the six-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Just before the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Wednesday, 1,468 names were added back to the electoral roll. In the case of six, the tribunals said their names cannot be included.
However, there is no clarity on the overall number of cases the tribunals managed to take up, before the Bengal polls conclude Wednesday.
With the addition of the 1,468 names, the total number of electors in Bengal for Wednesday’s polling across 142 Assembly seats is 3.22 crore.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India had said the 19 tribunals had received 34 lakh applications, including for exclusion. In the last supplementary list, ahead of the first phase of Assembly elections for 154 seats, 139 names had been included and eight deleted.
The tribunals had been announced after the adjudication process marked out 27.10 lakh names for deletion due to “logical discrepancies”, but took a long time getting off the ground – despite the narrow window ahead of the polls – with confusion over their operations continuing to persist.
Applying special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court had ordered that those whose names were considered eligible by tribunals up to two days before each of the polling phases be included in the electoral roll for voting this time.
Accordingly, the ECI published the second supplementary list on Tuesday morning. Sources said the panel will publish the new complete list, including the added voters, by Wednesday evening.
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Polling officials collect EVMs and other material at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday, a day ahead of the second and final phase of voting for the Assembly elections in West Bengal. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
In the entire SIR exercise in Bengal, around 89 lakh people have been deleted from the electoral roll.
With the ECI not sharing a comprehensive list, voters need to access its website, and go through separate addition and deletion lists as per their Assembly and booth number. Voters who don’t figure in either of the two lists in their Assembly seat or booth can use their voter ID number to search.
SC ‘out-of-turn’ relief too late
Among those who could not make it to the electoral rolls for these Assembly elections is Imran Ahmed, 41. On Monday, the Supreme Court had directed that the tribunals should take up the case of the Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency voter on “out of turn” basis and take a decision at the earliest.
Ahmed told The Indian Express Tuesday that he had not heard back from the tribunals. “There is no issue with my documents… But the question is how much time it will take. That is what is worrying me.”
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Ahmed said he discovered his name had been deleted earlier this month, and that he approached the tribunals on April 2. With no response forthcoming, he escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking urgent intervention.
Ahmed said he had considered visiting the institute at Joka, near Kolkata, where the tribunals are sitting, to push for an early hearing. But, it was difficult by the time the Court order came. “With polling on Thursday, movement is restricted and risky. So I sent an official email requesting urgent attention to my case.”
Reconciled to the fact that he would not be able to vote in these elections, Ahmed, who says he has voted several times before, said: “I am confident my name will be restored.”
Avantika Basu is an intern with The Indian Express
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
Polling officials collect EVMs and other material at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday, a day ahead of the second and final phase of voting for the Assembly elections in West Bengal. (Express photo by Partha Paul)