Bengal Voter List: 60 Lakh 'Doubtful' Electors Face Judicial Scrutiny Before Polls

Top Summary

• What happened: The Election Commission has categorized around 60 lakh electors in West Bengal as 'doubtful'. Their cases are under judicial review.
• Why it matters: The Supreme Court directive mandates this scrutiny. The outcome will determine if these individuals can vote in the upcoming assembly elections.
• What changes: 'Doubtful' voters will be added to the electoral roll via supplementary lists only after court approval. They are ineligible to vote until then.
• Who is affected: Approximately 60 lakh West Bengal electors deemed 'doubtful,' potentially including illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Bengal's Electoral Roll Under Scrutiny

The Election Commission (EC) is working to finalize West Bengal's electoral roll before the upcoming assembly elections. Approximately 60 lakh electors have been categorized as 'doubtful' and face judicial review. This action follows a Supreme Court directive issued on February 20th.

The Kolkata High Court has appointed judicial officers to adjudicate these cases. With assembly elections expected in the second half of March, time is of the essence.

Massive Deletions & 'Doubtful' Voters

The final electorate size in Bengal is around 6.4 crore. There have been 1.2 crore deletions since October 27, 2025 (15.9%).

Of these, 61.8 lakh were deleted due to being deceased, shifted, migrated, or registered at multiple places. The remaining 60 lakh are the 'doubtful' voters under adjudication.

Judicial Process & Voting Rights

Electors approved by the court-appointed officers will be added back to the electoral roll via supplementary lists. Until approved, these voters cannot participate in any election.

 

A senior EC functionary told TOI that the majority of these 'doubtful' electors are likely to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. "Despite stiff resistance, the SIR exercise in Bengal has been a huge success," said another EC official.

 

Race Against Time Before Elections

According to the rules, the electoral roll freezes 10 days before the last date for nomination in the elections. Only those whose cases are resolved before this deadline can vote.

The time required for judicial officers to dispose of the 60 lakh cases remains uncertain.

Echoes of Assam's 'D' Voters

The situation mirrors that of Assam, where thousands of 'D' (doubtful) voters have been under adjudication by Foreigners Tribunals since 1997.

These individuals have been barred from voting for decades. Only after being declared bona fide citizens can they regain their voting rights.

Quasi-Foreigners Tribunals

The judiciary-appointed officers in Bengal will effectively function as foreigners tribunals. They will examine and confirm the citizenship of 'doubtful' electors.

This process is ostensibly due to the SIR (Systematic Identification of Residents) exercise and concerns about Bangladeshi immigrants.

Electoral Roll Evolution

At the start of the SIR exercise on October 27, 2025, Bengal's electorate stood at 7.7 crore. The draft roll published on December 16, 2025, showed 7.08 crore voters after 58.2 lakh deletions.

The final roll published on Saturday lists 6.4 crore voters, with a net deletion of 3.6 lakh since the draft publication.

What to Watch Next

The speed and efficiency of the judicial officers in processing the 60 lakh cases will be crucial. The Election Commission's final decision on the election dates will significantly impact the eligibility of these 'doubtful' voters.