Voter List Update: 53 Lakh Names Removed from Voter List! Commission’s Big Step Regarding Dead and Fake Voters
Voter List Update: The Election Commission is conducting a rigorous revision of the voter list in West Bengal under strict surveillance. Maintaining a transparent voter list is crucial for a free and fair electoral process. With this objective, a massive drive to remove invalid names from the voter list has been initiated across the state. According to preliminary statistics from the Commission, approximately 53 lakh names have been removed from the draft voter list. This includes a significant number of dead, shifted, and fake voters identified through the Special Summary Revision (SIR) process.
Statistics of Dead and Shifted Voters
According to sources within the Commission, the highest number of deletions comes from the category of deceased voters. So far, 23,48,095 voters across the state have been identified as deceased, and their names have been removed from the list following due process. Furthermore, the number of voters who have moved from one location to another or changed their address is also substantial. About 18,55,302 voters have shifted their residence, resulting in the removal of their names from the voter list of their previous address.
Who are the ‘Missing’ and ‘Fake’ Voters?
A significant portion of this revision exercise involves ‘missing’ voters. In the Commission’s terminology, those who were issued enumeration forms but did not return them are labeled as ‘missing’. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been unable to trace these citizens despite multiple attempts. Currently, the number of such voters in the state stands at 9,42,162.
On the other hand, to ensure transparency in the voter list, the identification of ‘duplicate’ or fake voters is proceeding simultaneously. So far, 1,22,303 fake voters have been identified and culled from the list.
Breakdown of Removed Voters at a Glance
Detailed information on the different categories of voters removed from the list is provided below:
| Category | Number of Voters Removed |
|---|---|
| Deceased Voters | 23,48,095 |
| Shifted Voters | 18,55,302 |
| Missing Voters | 9,42,162 |
| Fake/Duplicate Voters | 1,22,303 |
| Others | 31,801 |
The ‘Others’ Category and Future Possibilities
Apart from the dead, missing, and shifted categories, 31,801 names have been removed under the ‘Others’ category. The Commission suspects that these individuals were indifferent to the SIR process or submitting the forms. However, these statistics are not yet final. Since the deadline for publishing the draft list has been extended and the final voter list is scheduled to be published on February 14, 2026, these numbers may undergo changes. Specifically, those currently marked as ‘missing’ may have their names reinstated if they contact the authorities with proper documents. The last date for uploading data for this process, which began on November 4, has been set for December 11.
