Over 58 lakh names deleted in Bengal: What 2019, 2021, 2024 numbers reveal about state's political trajectory

Following the month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in West Bengal that has caused a massive row in the state, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday published the draft electoral rolls, which include the names of those voters who have been identified for deletion. The draft rolls are available on the official website of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and also on the voter portal of the ECI.

According to sources, the names of more than 58,08,202 people have been identified for deletion. At present, West Bengal has 24,18,699 deceased voters whose names are still present on the electoral rolls, they said, while adding that 19,93,087 other voters have changed their addresses. Additionally, 12,01,462 voters could not be traced, while 1,37,575 voters were found to be fraudulent.

The top poll body has also placed 57,509 voters in the other category, and they will be excluded, sources said. 

Move likely to cause a massive row in West Bengal ahead of 2026 polls 

The EC's move to delete more than 58.8 lakh voters is expected to cause a massive row in West Bengal, where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held next year. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has repeatedly criticised the exercise and urged the top poll body to halt it immediately. 

The party has alleged that the SIR is meant to drive Bengalis out of the state. However, the EC has defended the SIR and urged the TMC not to spread rumours and not to pressurise Booth Level Officers (BLOs) involved in the SIR. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the main opposition party in West Bengal, has slammed the state government and accused Banerjee of engaging in politics of appeasement. The saffron party has alleged that the TMC is afraid of the SIR because it depends on infiltrators as its vote bank. 

From 3% to 10% to 7%: How shifting vote margins set the stakes for Bengal's next electoral battle 

The move is expected to have an impact on the upcoming West Bengal polls. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC and the BJP had won 22 and 18 seats out of the 42 seats of West Bengal. According to the EC, the TMC received 2,47,57,345 or 43.69 per cent votes, while the BJP received 2,30,28,517 or 40.64 per cent votes. The difference of votes between them was 17,28,828 or 3.05 per cent votes. 

During the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, which saw the return of Banerjee to power for a third straight term, the TMC received 2,89,68,281 or 48.02 per cent votes. The BJP, on the other hand, received 2,29,05,474 or 37.97 per cent votes. The difference between them was 60,62,807 or 10.05 per cent, as per the EC. The TMC had won 215 seats and the BJP bagged 77 seats in the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw BJP's tally going down to 12 from 18 in 2019, with the party receiving 2,34,31,081 or 39.08 per cent votes. Similarly, the TMC received 2,76,74,133 or 46.16 per cent. The difference between them was 42,43,052 or 7.08 per cent votes, according to the EC data.

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